Distance over Time
by johnny3gud
Summary: Serena was always content to wait, but when she receives an opportunity for a new start, she finds that life isn't so patient. Separated from Ash, she isn't sure what's more daunting - losing him, or making things right again. Either way, one thing is certain - she will find out exactly what absence does to the heart. Part three of The Camera Eye series.
1. A Change of Seasons

**Author's Note:** As mentioned in the summary, this is the third story in a series. As such, I strongly recommend reading the first (_The Camera Eye_) and second (_Any Color You Like_) stories before reading this one. Many spoilers for the first two stories await below the page break.

The cover art for this story was commissioned from Skitterine.

Also, this series now has a TVTropes page! Search for "The Camera Eye Series" on TVTropes to check it out.

* * *

Distance over Time

Chapter One - A Change of Seasons

Serena's mind overflowed with questions.

"I… I can't believe you're here! How? Why?"

She released her grip on Clemont and made a futile attempt to hide her face as she wiped her eyes. Much like her mind, they had long since overflowed, but with something else entirely. She ran her dirty sleeves over them, the rough fabric doing far more to increase the redness than to soak up the tears.

Making a noise caught somewhere between a laugh and a sob, she took a step back. She shook her head, then clasped her hands to the sides of her head and dug her fingers into her hair. She stared. Nothing made sense. She stood in the middle of a field on her mother's Rhyhorn ranch in Vaniville Town. It was midday on a brilliant day in early autumn. Like every day in recent memory, she had woken up before dawn, tied her hair back, put on her pair of coveralls, and made herself filthy from manual labor before noon. And so it had been without end, uninterrupted, as predictable as the rising and setting of the sun.

But today, for the first time in months, something was different. There were different sights, different faces. Faces of people who weren't from Vaniville Town, who weren't supposed to know she was here, who weren't supposed to be here at all.

Somehow, standing there before her in the field were Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina.

"What are you all doing here?"

Serena knew how ridiculous the question was as soon as it left her lips, and Bonnie's reaction reiterated it. Folding her arms, Bonnie sent Serena a sideways glance.

"I thought you'd be happy to see us!" said Bonnie, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

"I- I am! I just-"

Serena's mouth moved faster than her brain. Her words ran off along with her train of thought. Again, she stared. Three curious faces stared back at her.

"...how?" she said. "How did you all know I was here? When did you find out? _How_ did you find out? I haven't-"

Serena stopped herself. A pang of guilt shot through her heart. She winced, then let her eyes fall to the ground and her arms to her sides.

"I haven't talked to anyone in months."

She swallowed. She clenched her eyes shut, the heat of shame rising from her stomach up onto her face.

But when she opened her eyes again, she did not find an irate mob wielding torches and pitchforks. Instead, she saw three familiar, friendly faces. They weren't smiling, but there was not even a hint of anger in any of their eyes. She saw confusion, concern, and even a little amusement, but not anger. Not at all.

Until Bonnie stepped forward.

"You could have called, you know!" Bonnie said, with her fists on her hips and a knot in her brow.

"Bonnie!" said Clemont. The sound was so familiar, the same tone of voice Serena had heard hundreds of times before, the same tone Clemont used every time Bonnie stepped out of line.

Which, as Serena recalled, was daily. The corner of her mouth turned upward into a hint of a smile at the thought. The memory persisted for only a fleeting moment, though. Bonnie did not back down.

"We were worried about you!" said Bonnie.

Serena met Bonnie's eyes for a moment but found she couldn't hold Bonnie's gaze and looked at the ground instead. She folded her arms.

"I'm sure you were," said Serena. "I gave everyone a lot of reasons to worry. I'm so sorry."

"Apology accepted," said Clemont. "I think I speak for all of us in saying that I'm immensely relieved merely to find you in one piece."

Serena held up her hands for everyone to see.

"I'm here," she said. "I'm all here, I promise. All my fingers and toes attached. See?"

Serena wiggled all of her fingers. Inside her boots, she wiggled her toes. When she realized nobody could see her feet, she looked down at them, then back at everyone else.

"They're there, I swear," she said. "I'll take my boots off if you want to see."

"We'll take your word for it," said Korrina.

Serena met Korrina's eyes. She found herself at a loss for words.

It must have shown, because after a protracted silence, Korrina waved. Serena found that her eyes had glazed over. She shook her head to shake it off.

"Hey! Are ya sure you're okay?" said Korrina.

"I-"

Serena stopped herself from finishing her automatic response. It would have been a lie. She was not fine. There was no point in hiding it anymore.

"I've been better," said Serena. "I've been worse, though."

"Where's Ash?" said Bonnie. "Why isn't he here?"

"Bonnie!" Clemont said once again.

Under better circumstances, Serena was sure she would have laughed. Instead, another pang went through her heart, much stronger than the last. It was more than shame or guilt. It was a lot of things.

A moment later, a familiar yet foreign presence on her shoulder brought her back to reality.

"And who's _that_ Pokémon?" said Bonnie.

Serena had to catch herself to avoid saying the wrong name. It had only been a few hours. She wasn't used to it yet.

"It's- ...Ribombee," she said.

"Fascinating," said Clemont, adjusting his glasses. "I've never seen one in Kalos before! I thought they lived in tropical climates."

"They do," said Serena. "Ribombee is from Alola."

"Ah, yes, that makes sense," said Clemont. "How did you meet Ribombee, then?"

Serena felt the sweat beginning to form on her palms. She knew she was about to jump off a veritable cliff. There was no legendary Pokémon waiting to swoop in and save her this time. Her shoulder vibrated as Ribombee shuddered.

"We met in Alola."

The faces she received in response made it clear that she had never had more explaining to do.

* * *

An hour later, Serena's mouth was dry from talking at such great length. Her throat was on the edge of becoming sore. She had said more in an hour than she had said in all the time since her return home combined. Putting everything into words was more challenging than she expected it would be. She had certainly never explained it all to her mother, not in nearly so much detail. She hoped that her mother was not in earshot.

Mostly for the sake of privacy, but also for everyone's comfort, Serena had wandered toward the far side of the field, as far away from the house as she could be while remaining on the property. She sat on the ground with her back propped up against a fence post. Clemont sat with his legs between the rungs of the fence, sitting on the middle rung while resting his arms on the top rung. Korrina sat on the top rung next to him, and Bonnie lay on the ground, looking up at the clouds, while Dedenne slept on her stomach. Nearby, Chespin and Bunnelby were having an animated reunion with Pancham and Sylveon.

Further in the distance, Delphox sat alone. Though she had come to greet her old companions, she seemed to quickly run out of things to say and departed to be on her own again. Lucario stood beside Korrina, occasionally glancing in Delphox's direction, but remaining silent.

Ribombee, meanwhile, remained glued to Serena's shoulder, eager to provide her own incomprehensible input to Serena's telling of the story, chirping and buzzing at seemingly random intervals.

"So Ash went with Lillie after all?" said Clemont.

Serena nodded.

"He's been making really good progress on his island challenge, according to his letters," she said. "From what I've read, he made it farther in a few weeks than most trainers do in months."

"That's no surprise," said Korrina. "I bet having Pikachu and Greninja with him is like having a cheat code!"

"An apt analogy," said Clemont.

Bonnie huffed and looked at Serena. Her sudden movement woke Dedenne.

"I can't believe you let him go!" she said.

Serena gave Bonnie a confused look. She thought her explanation had been perfectly clear, or at least as clear as something so insane could be.

"I _made _him go," said Serena. "He didn't want to. He tried to stop me!"

Dedenne scurried out of the way as Bonnie made a show of pointedly crossing her arms and looking away.

"I wish he'd stopped you," she said.

Serena's mouth hung open, lost for words. Bonnie was as blunt as ever. Once again, Clemont scolded her.

"Bonnie! That's not appropriate! Serena has been through quite an ordeal and we should be supportive of her!"

"Doesn't mean I have to like it," Bonnie grumbled, pouting.

Clemont rubbed his forehead, exasperated. Korrina laughed.

"Hey, shipping is serious business!" said Korrina.

"It's not _shipping_ when it involves real people!" said Clemont.

"I'm pretty sure Bonnie disagrees," said Korrina.

"I know she does, and I don't much like the implications of the fact that person she seems to enjoy shipping the most is me!"

Bonnie sat upright.

"It's because of the challenge!" she said.

_"Challenge?" _said Clemont. "What's _that_ supposed to mean?"

Bonnie groaned, flung her hands up in the air, and flopped back onto the ground again.

"Ugh! How are you so clueless?"

"I'm not clueless!" said Clemont. He looked to Korrina as if he were expecting her support.

Korrina dismissively waved her hand.

"Yeah, yeah," she said.

Clemont's jaw dropped. Before he could say anything, Korrina's lips formed a smile and she winked at him. Clemont's face began to redden. He turned toward Serena.

"Do you see what I have to deal with now?" he said, moping. "The two of them are both like this all the time."

Serena did not say a word. She tilted her head.

"We all know you secretly enjoy it," said Korrina. "And besides, I think it's great that Bonnie's found her new calling in life so quickly. You should be more supportive of her!"

"Shipping is not a career path!" said Clemont. "Not _that_ kind of shipping, anyway!"

The quarrel continued, but Serena sat there, zoned out. Memories, all of which had once seemed unrelated, aligned themselves in a chain in her head. Memories of talking to Clemont about her issues with Ash, of learning how long everyone had known about her feelings, of admitting her feelings to everyone, of Bonnie's final sabotage of Miette's plan.

"Wait a minute."

Serena's words brought the ridiculous argument to an abrupt end. Everyone turned to look at her. Serena met eyes with Bonnie.

"You were _shipping_ me and Ash?" said Serena.

_"Duh!"_ said Bonnie. "Everyone was!"

"That is a gross exaggeration," said Clemont. "I would never _ship _my friends like they were fictional characters. I merely hoped that you and Ash would find a way to resolve the romantic tension between the two of you because I believed it would make both you happy."

"That's the same thing as shipping!" said Bonnie.

"I respectfully disagree," said Clemont. "I think there is an important distinction to be drawn between passively hoping for the success of one's friends and actively playing the role of matchmaker. And to be perfectly clear, I find the former to be much more appropriate than the latter."

Clemont's reply was met with a pause.

"That's the same thing as shipping," said Korrina.

Clemont hung his head and covered his face with his hands. Korrina laughed.

Serena stared.

"I… didn't realize anyone else cared," she said.

"For real?" said Korrina. "Didn't you see how happy we all were for you two?"

"Not really?" said Serena. "I was kind of distracted at the time!"

"Ha! That's fair," said Korrina. "But seriously, you two are adorable together. How could we not be happy for you?"

Serena folded her arms and tightened them around herself. This conversation had been awkward enough already.

"Well, thanks, I guess," she said. "I just didn't realize anyone else had, you know, _expectations _about me and Ash. I mean, I don't want to blame you all for being excited, but things between us were complicated enough without worrying about what anyone else thought."

"Also fair," said Korrina. "We were just happy for you two, and it's kind of a bummer to find out that things didn't really work out for you two after all. It's gotta be way more of a bummer for you, though."

Everyone was quiet. Serena nodded.

"Yeah. Sorry to disappoint you all," she said.

"No apology is required," said Clemont. "You haven't disappointed any of us."

Serena instinctively glanced at Bonnie. For once, Bonnie appeared to have the self-control to keep her thoughts to herself.

"Sorry for all of us being super weird about this," said Korrina. "I'm sure this isn't what you wanted to talk about."

Serena leaned her head back against the fence post and looked up at the sky.

"Not really," she said. "Honestly, though, I guess it was time. I haven't talked about any of this stuff with anyone in months. I haven't talked about _anything_ in months."

"Well, we apologize for forcing the issue," said Clemont. "I think I can once again speak for everyone in saying that we all could have conducted ourselves more tactfully."

Korrina nodded. Bonnie frowned and looked away.

"Me too," said Serena.

"It is not your fault that this conversation went off on such a bizarre and inappropriate tangent," said Clemont. "There's no need for you to apologize."

Serena turned her head toward Clemont.

"Are you serious?" she said, an incredulous eyebrow raised. "Did you listen to my story at all? I ruined everything and kept everyone in the dark about it for months!"

"We listened," said Clemont. "You made it all very clear."

"Then…"

Serena shut her eyes and grimaced as she dug for the words.

"Then what are you all still doing here? Why are you wasting your time with me? I pushed you all away! I basically ruined an innocent girl's life! I pretty much literally lost my mind! And I threw away the relationship that apparently all of you were rooting for! Why would you even want to still be here with me?"

Bonnie mirrored Serena's incredulous face for a moment.

"Because we're your friends, dummy."

Serena's mouth opened, but she said nothing. Before she could speak, there was a hitch in her breath, one which silenced her words and replaced them with tears. There was no stopping the coming tide. She drew her knees up to her chest and hid her face. Shame washed over her again.

"I think it's perfectly clear that you didn't mean to harm anyone," said Clemont. "In fact, I would say that anyone who knows you at all understands that. You would never hurt anyone on purpose."

Serena wanted to agree, but she remembered it all too well. She remembered trashing the loft. She remembered the feeling of the fabric of Lillie's pillow as she strangled it on the floor, trying to wring from it a life it did not possess. She remembered Lillie's handwriting, spelling out words no one was ever meant to read.

She wanted to explain, but instead, she only stared vacantly into the coarse fabric covering her knees. She did so for quite some time until she felt a hand on her shoulder.

It was Clemont. Serena revealed enough of her face to take a quick glance at him and then hid again.

"It's clear that you regret what you did," said Clemont. "It's obvious that you are genuinely remorseful. And, correct me if I am wrong, but it also seems obvious that you exiled yourself here as some sort of penance for what you did. You've been punishing yourself, haven't you?"

Serena wanted to answer the question with both _yes_ and _not enough_. All she managed was a nod.

"And furthermore," said Clemont, "it is obvious that you have suffered enough. You've paid your debt. You don't have to do this anymore. You can start over again."

Serena peeked another glance at Clemont. When she spoke, her voice was meek.

"But what can I do?" she said. "I can't go back to Ash!"

"That's not what I'm suggesting, actually," said Clemont.

A clever look crossed Clemont's face, one which Serena knew well. It was the same look he always had when he just so happened to have created an invention that was helpful for whatever absurdly specific scenario they were in.

Serena took a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves. She was certain she was going to snap if Clemont tried to offer the services of a time machine or something else ridiculous.

But that wasn't what happened at all. Instead, Clemont removed his hand from Serena's shoulder and he reached into one of his many pockets. He pulled out an envelope.

"I have a proposition for you."

* * *

Serena stalked up to the barn door and slid it aside. Ribombee fluttering behind her, she entered. As soon as she was inside, she stopped and folded her arms, her eyes squarely on her mother. Near the rear of the barn, Grace was fitting a saddle on Rhyhorn.

Several seconds passed while Serena stood in front of the entrance, waiting to be acknowledged. She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She knew her mother was well aware of her presence. She figured her mother probably also knew why she was here.

There was a _whoosh_ of fabric against fabric as Grace pulled a strap through a buckle loop and tightened it. Without looking up from her work, she spoke.

"So, you got the offer, I see."

Serena unfurled her arms and stepped forward. As she approached her mother, she reached into her pocket and pulled out the letter. With only Rhyhorn separating the two of them, she stopped. Brandishing the letter, she glared.

"Explain."

Grace's lips turned upward into a sly smile. She gave the strap another firm tug, then looked up.

"Surprised?" she said.

"Of _course_ I'm surprised!" said Serena. "You knew about all of this! You kept this a secret from me!"

"I thought it would be better that way."

"How long have you known?"

"Not long."

_"How long."_

"Less than two weeks."

"Two weeks?" said Serena. She held both hands up to her head for a moment, then flung them into the air in exasperation and let them fall to her sides. The letter slapped against her leg. Rhyhorn grunted at the sound and glanced up at her.

_"Less_ than two weeks," said Grace. "More like ten days."

"Ten days?" said Serena. "Are you serious? You've known for _ten days_ that they were coming here to see me and said nothing?!"

Ribombee zoomed around in circles high above Serena's head. Grace looked up at Ribombee for a moment, then back at Serena.

"I didn't think you would be so upset about it."

"I've been here alone for _months!"_ said Serena. "Don't you think I would have wanted to know my friends were coming to see me? Not to mention _why_ they were coming?"

Grace tightened her lips for a moment.

"Well, yes."

"Then why didn't you tell me?"

"Because I had good reason to think you might not stick around to see them."

"What?"

"Serena."

The way Grace said it was so flat, so deflating that it immediately took the wind out of Serena's sails, the way only a mother using her child's name could.

"I was afraid you would run away again," said Grace.

"Why do you think I would do that?" said Serena.

"You did it not that long ago."

Serena's jaw tightened.

"Mom."

"I'm not calling you a coward," said Grace.

"Good, because I'm not!"

"It's just that there's… _precedent_ for you running away from problems."

"My friends coming to see me isn't a problem!"

"No, but it's obvious that you're here because you're avoiding _something,"_ said Grace. "If you were willing to run away from Ash, it seemed likely that you would be willing to run away from your friends, too."

Her mouth shut tight, Serena bit down on her tongue. There was a bitter irony in accusing her mother of keeping secrets from her. There was so much Serena had intentionally left unsaid. Her mother knew that she went to Alola with Ash, and that there was another girl, and that even though she tried her best to be friends with her, things didn't work out in the end.

That was the safe-for-moms version of the story, anyway. A neat little package that made everything sound like it was another rehash of one of the oldest stories ever told. Boy meets girl, boy meets another girl, the rest is history. It was technically all true. It wasn't a lie.

Except that the condensed version of the story left out basically every important detail, especially all the ones which reflected poorly upon her and her judgment, or lack thereof.

And her mother wasn't a fool. Serena knew she knew it. Not the specific details - there was no way she could know those - but that there were details being hidden. And for just a moment, those details sat on the tip of Serena's tongue, waiting to be spilled, waiting to burst through the dam and finally tear down the wall of secrecy.

But Serena remained silent, Grace spoke again.

"You're punishing yourself by being here. I don't know why, but I do know that you've suffered more than enough."

Serena tried to resist the instinctual widening of her eyes. Clemont had used almost the exact same words.

"As much as I appreciate having your help around here, you have nothing to gain by staying here," said Grace. "So, I thought it might be nice if you were with your friends again."

"What did you tell them? _And who did you tell?"_

Serena's voice raised as she spoke. Imperceptible to her, but enough for her mother to take notice. Grace's eyes narrowed ever so slightly, and she pursed her lips in preparation for a response.

But Serena spoke first. With her fists at her sides, she leaned forward.

"What have you been doing behind my back?"

There was a moment of electric tension in the air between the two of them, fueled by the memories of years of petty feuds and contradictory feelings. For a mere instant, Serena felt it slipping, her tenuous stance upon the foundation of goodwill she and her mother had spent the last few months laying. It would be so easy, so comfortable, so normal to jump off and go back to how things used to be, as natural and thoughtless as putting one foot in front of the other.

But that mere instant of hesitation was all it took. The momentary pause made all the difference.

"I wasn't trying to do anything behind your back," said Grace. "I just thought you would enjoy the surprise."

Her eyes locked with her mother's, Serena bit her lip and let out a long, deep breath. She shook as the air left her, the aftershocks of a barely contained anger rolling over her.

"I wasn't trying to trick you," said Grace.

Serena bit down harder and looked at the ground, trying to steady her breath. In the sort of roundabout way that could only make sense between two people with such a messy and entangled history, her mother's attempt at level-headedness was almost an insult. In some backward, twisted way, it was like a power play, yet another attempt at obtaining the upper hand in some perpetual, meaningless battle.

Had it been like any of their innumerable arguments in the past, Serena would have gladly turned her nose up at her mother, turned the sass up to eleven, and picked apart some innocuous turn of phrase in an attempt to weaponize it. This wasn't the same, though. The instinct was still there, but the fire in her stomach was gone. There was no fight to be had. Instead, Serena stood there, staring at nothing, inexplicably out of breath.

"Are you okay?" said Grace.

Serena shifted her eyes up toward her mother, keeping her head bowed. She shook her head, then quickly looked away.

"No," she whispered.

"I… thought so."

Grace stepped around Rhyhorn and approached Serena. She stopped a few steps short and looked Serena over. When Serena looked up, she found her mother mirroring a posture that was all too familiar, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. As many times as she had done it herself, it was disarming to see her mother so transparently vulnerable.

"I wish I could tell you that this is one of those _mothers always know_ things," said Grace. "Honestly, though, I only recognize it because I've been through it, too."

Serena's eyes grew a little bit wider.

"You have?"

"I know what it's like to choose to punish yourself," said Grace.

"I'm not punishing myself."

"Then what are you doing?"

"I'm doing what's right."

"It may feel like the right thing to do, but it won't get you anywhere."

"It's what I deserve."

"Maybe in your eyes. Not in anyone else's, though. The world didn't ask you to do this. No one did. None of your friends wanted to see you do this to yourself."

"They didn't see what happened. No one else did. I deserve this, trust me."

"Are you deserve to spend your youth alone, devoting your days to endless labor when you could instead be seeing the world with your friends?"

"Yes."

There was a measured pause.

"I'm not going to ask what happened," said Grace. "I hope you'll rethink that, though."

"I… hurt people who didn't deserve it," said Serena. "I told a lot of lies."

"I think you're still telling yourself one," said Grace.

"Why do you want me to leave, anyway?" said Serena. "I know how much it helps for you to have me here."

"Because you can do better than this."

"Better than what?"

"A lifetime of farm labor in a small town."

"Didn't you _choose_ to do this with your life?"

"Yes, but for very different reasons."

"Don't you want me to follow in your footsteps or something? Haven't you always wanted me to, you know, be a Rhyhorn racer?"

"Well, not exactly."

"Huh?"

"It's not about you being a Rhyhorn racer. It's about you being able to do all the things I couldn't do. There's an important difference. For your sake, I wish I had understood that sooner."

"What are you talking about?"

"Your future."

Serena resisted the urge to roll her eyes. It was her mother's favorite conversation topic.

"What now?" she said.

"I'm not trying to tell you what to do."

"Yes, you are. You knew about the job offer!"

"Yes, but I'm not _telling_ you to do anything."

"You obviously think I should take it."

"I do. I want you to take it. But _wanting_ you to do something and _telling _you to do something are different things."

Again, Serena fought back against assumptions born from years of experience. They were not the same thing, but they weren't always so different. Not in a war of passive aggression, anyway.

But the war was over. A ceasefire had been reached. An unspoken treaty signed. And so, Serena tried one last time to take a deep breath and step back from the edge.

She succeeded. Ribombee landed on her shoulder, releasing a mellow buzz which sounded very much like a sigh.

"Are… you really sure you don't need me here?" Serena said, her voice meek at first. "Taking care of this place is so much work."

"I'll manage," said Grace. "I need another pair of hands around here, but they don't have to be yours."

"Who, though?"

Grace looked out the open barn door and tilted her head in the direction of their nearest neighbor.

"Oh, there's a certain someone who is looking for a job and will be thrilled to have an excuse to come over here."

Grace's lips curled into a dry smile and glanced at Serena. Serena rolled her eyes and groaned.

There was no doubt to whom her mother referred. It was the boy next door. A newcomer to Vaniville Town, he and his family had arrived about a month ago. Why anyone would choose to move _to_ such a place was a mystery to Serena. As far as she could tell, it was some kind of cosmic joke being played upon her, a divine gift given to her mother for the purpose of providing an excuse to drop painfully blunt hints about asking the boy out as often as possible.

The mere idea made Serena want to gag. The only thing more painfully obvious than the boy's attraction to her was how eager her mother was to set her up with someone so dull. There was nothing remarkable about him at all, save for perhaps his persistence at finding a contrived excuse to say hello to her every single day. He could not have been more of a blank slate if he tried. Serena struggled to remember any of their conversations, only a scant handful of them going on for longer than a few words. She even struggled to conjure his name. It was something particularly bland. It suited him well. Was it Caleb? Yes, that was it. Even if she was mistaken, that was his name now, as far as she was concerned.

There was nothing objectionable about him. Serena knew she had no reason to hate him. She had no reason to like him, either. Frankly, he also had no reason to like her. But instead, it was plainly transparent to everyone that he was smitten with her because she was the only girl of similar age who lived within walking distance and that her mother took a shine to him because of how safe he was. He was a guy who was never going to sweep anyone off their feet, who would never travel the world on a whim, would never do anything more dangerous than drive slightly over the speed limit. He was exactly the kind of guy mothers wanted to see their daughters bring home.

Or, at least, he was the kind of guy Serena knew her mother wanted her to bring home. That is, he was the opposite of Ash in every way that mattered.

While Serena flatly glared at her mother for the umpteenth time in response to this particular subject, her mother laughed. Serena was grateful that at least her mother had something resembling a sense of humor about it.

"I know, I know," said Grace. "The poor boy will be heartbroken when I tell him you've left."

Serena narrowed her eyes. Grace hid her mouth with one hand and leaned toward Serena, pretending to whisper.

"I'll just have to leave out that little detail until after he accepts!"

Serena raised an eyebrow.

_"When_ I leave?" she said. "You're really going to let me do this?"

"Of course I am," said Grace. "When Clemont called here looking for you, he asked if he and your other friends could come for a visit, and I asked him if he could take you back to Lumiose with him."

"Wait, what?"

"You're miserable here, Serena. Don't try to hide it. You can't waste your life hiding. You're young. You have plenty of time to start over. Go."

"Why didn't you tell me that Clemont called? When was this?"

"Just last week," said Grace. "It wasn't originally the plan to keep it a secret, but while Clemont and I were talking, his father overheard and mentioned needing help at his shop, and then this whole plan to surprise you fell into place. It all came out of nowhere, really."

Serena thought for a moment. She assembled the pieces in her head, but a question lingered.

"Are there any other phone calls meant for me that you haven't told me about?" she asked.

Grace shook her head.

"No, just the one. Were you expecting one?"

Serena quickly opened her mouth to answer but stopped herself before she spoke. She wasn't sure what was more depressing - that she had to stop herself from lying, or the truth itself.

"No," she said. She bit her lip and looked at her feet.

"All the more reason for you to go, then," said Grace. "You've got nothing tying you here. Go be with your friends again. Get a fresh start. Have new experiences. Meet new people. Enjoy yourself. _Live. _Don't do… whatever it is you've been doing here."

"Waiting, mostly."

"You can't wait forever. Your life will pass you by before you know it if you do. Let it all go. Everything. Go explore while you're still young. Find out what's waiting for _you_ out there in the world."

Grace tilted her head before speaking again.

"Maybe you'll even find out _who_ is waiting for you out there," she said.

Serena wasn't sure what it was, but there was something about the intonation of her mother's voice that flipped a switch inside her head. On the surface, Serena knew there was no harm meant in any of it. She knew her mother at least _thought_ she was looking out for her best interests. But beneath all that, Serena knew there was something else. Something unspoken. An ulterior motive.

So, she spoke her piece to life.

"I'm waiting for _Ash."_

Grace went silent. Her mouth closed. Her face tightened. Motionless, she stared.

"I know you don't think he's good for me," said Serena. "I know you want me to move on, but I'm not willing to do that. I love him. He loves me, too. He's going to come back to me. I can wait for him in Lumiose City just as well as I can here, and even if I go, _that's_ what I'm going to do."

Grace folded her arms. She looked at her feet for a moment before turning away.

"You can't make me change my mind," said Serena. "It doesn't matter what you do. I will never give up on him."

Ribombee lifted off from Serena's shoulder, chittering as she zoomed around the barn in circles again. Grace returned to Rhyhorn and picked up where she left off on the saddle adjustments. She shook her head.

"The more things change, the more they stay the same," she said.

* * *

The next time Serena looked at the clock, it was well after dark. The rest of the afternoon and the evening passed in a frenzy of packing and travel preparations. Clemont called home and informed his father that Serena would be accepting the job offer and that they would depart for Lumiose in the morning. Serena tried to join the conversation but only got in a few words of thanks before Meyer took off running in response to a sizzling sound, a puff of smoke, and Ampharos hurriedly running across the room in the background.

Afterward, Clemont busied himself with Grace, helping her with several minor repairs around the ranch. Meanwhile, Bonnie and Korrina attempted to help Serena pack, but instead mostly proved themselves to be a hindrance and a distraction, all too eager to spend the time catching up instead. It was only once the two of them were both passed out in sleeping bags on the floor of Serena's bedroom that she had a moment to stop and think.

Seated on the edge of her bed, she looked at her bedside table. She reached for the drawer. Slowly, determined not to make any noise, she pulled it open. Inside was a neatly stacked pile of letters from Ash, with a folded handkerchief on top of them all. Double-checking to make sure neither Bonnie nor Korrina were sneaking glances at her while pretending to be asleep, Serena grabbed the stack of letters and the handkerchief and shoved them into her bag, concealing them from sight.

After closing the drawer and zipping up her bag to no response, Serena was content that she had been neither seen nor heard. She laid back on her bed and stared at the ceiling, too restless to have even a chance of falling asleep. It was the first time in months that she hadn't fallen asleep within minutes. Had it been a welcome feeling, it almost would have been nostalgic.

While the lamp blazed in the darkness, Serena lay there with her hands folded over her stomach, lost in thought. It was true that she had not been expecting a phone call from anyone. Somehow, it was still a disappointment that her mother wasn't hiding another one from her. What she was expecting, though, was another letter from Ash. Like clockwork, they arrived at the same time every week. Although, maybe it wouldn't this time. It sounded like the mess with Team Skull was going to keep him busy.

Still, her mother's call with Clemont wasn't the only secret correspondence in the household. Unless her mother had been spying on her or was far more perceptive than she ever imagined, her letters from Ash were a secret. Serena realized, though, that if she wasn't there to intercept his next letter at the mailbox, they wouldn't be a secret anymore. After her conversation with her mother that afternoon, that was one secret she wanted to continue to keep.

How could she prevent being discovered, though? There was no number at which to call Ash. He didn't carry a tablet or a phone. Every letter had been postmarked from a different Pokémon Center. He had always been notoriously difficult to contact, and that was one thing that definitely had not changed.

Serena thought. She fidgeted. She tossed and turned. Eventually, she gave up trying to think of a good solution and went with a bad one instead. Why not just mail him back? Maybe his progress would be slowed down for a week while he dealt with Team Skull. It was worth a shot.

Serena rose from her bed, tiptoed her way over to her desk, and sat. She pulled out a sheet of paper and a pen. She thought for a while.

Through the window, she saw two faint figures outside in the field, their silhouettes barely visible in the distance. Delphox and Lucario stood side by side, both of them leaning against the fence. Serena could only imagine what they were doing, their inscrutable conversation lost to the silent darkness. Ribombee snoozed on the windowsill. Serena wondered how she would react if she were buzzing around Delphox and Lucario right now.

But there was no way to know. There never was. Serena closed her eyes, took a long, deep breath, and picked up her pen.

And then she wrote for a very long time.

The next morning, Serena was unable to deny anything when she was discovered asleep at her desk, hunched over her finished letter. All she could do was hide it from prying eyes and cover her flushed face while she hurried to seal it in an envelope and apply a stamp to it. Bonnie and Korrina had seen mercifully little of the letter, but more than enough to tease her about it for hours. It only ceased for long enough for them to have breakfast and to say goodbye to her mother in peace.

When they left, Serena was caught off-guard by the sound of opening the front gate. It was the sound of silence. The weary, metallic creak which had served as a secondary doorbell for years was gone. From the corner of her eye, she saw Clemont take notice of her momentary confusion. Though he said nothing, there was no doubt from his satisfied grin that he had repaired it the day before. Serena figured it was but one of many things he had repaired, not all of them physical.

So, when Serena pulled the gate shut behind her, she did not look back. It was another glorious day in early autumn, with the leaves on the trees all throughout Vaniville Town just beginning to change colors and the first crisp taste of winter in the cool air. For a few moments, she stopped to admire the scene while she stood beside a mailbox in the center of town. Memories lingered while her hair tossed about in the gentle breeze, the letter in her hand flapping about as if it were eager to escape her clutches and begin its journey.

Her reverie ended when her friends called to her and she discovered they were already some distance ahead of her. Surprised at how long she had been daydreaming, Serena slipped her letter into the mailbox and ran after them.


	2. Strange Déjà Vu

Chapter Two - Strange Déjà Vu

After a day on the road and a night under the stars, the traveling party arrived in Lumiose City mid-morning the next day. As they waded through the sea of people and Pokémon and made their way toward Clemont's house, Serena found herself imitating the tourists who clogged the city streets. Captivated by everything she saw, she craned her neck all around, astonished. It was far from her first time seeing Lumiose City, but it was the first time she had ever seen it so beautiful. The grand alleys shone a warm gold in the soft sunlight of autumn. The trees along the avenues dotted the urban landscape with yellow and orange. Stray fallen leaves tossed about in the lazy breeze. All around, people wore heavier clothes than Serena had seen the last time she walked these streets. Scarves, hats, and coats filled her sight.

Ribombee, prone as always to breaking free from her ball, zipped through the streets overhead at a ludicrous pace, ricocheting from one exciting new thing to the next. Watching her from below, Serena wanted to smile, but she found it impossible. This was not the first time she had arrived in a city that seemed to be made of gold. At the time, her two weeks there had felt like the most tumultuous of her life. She sincerely hoped that history was not about to repeat itself.

When they arrived at Clemont's house, Serena was led upstairs to a familiar room, one in which she had stayed before. She found it in much the same state as the last time she saw it. Precarious stacks of boxes towered from floor to ceiling, all of them overflowing with electrical parts. Tucked away in one far corner of the room was a lumpy cot, one which had undoubtedly failed to become any more comfortable in the few months since Serena had last slept on it.

What had changed, though, was that there was now another cot in the room, much closer to the entrance. Around it was a perimeter from which all of the various junk in the room had been cleared, although it was not clean. It had been replaced with a different kind of mess. Serena was confident what she was looking at before she noticed them, but the pair of roller skates left no doubt.

Looking a bit embarrassed, Clemont scratched his cheek as he spoke.

"Well, again, it's not much, just like last time," he said. "I'm afraid you'll be sharing it this time, though."

Serena shifted her eyes from Clemont to Korrina, who was leaning on the doorframe with her arms crossed.

"We're roomies!" said Korrina. "Unless you wanna bunk with Bonnie, anyway."

A devious grin grew across Bonnie's face. Serena tightened her grip on her bag. She looked dolefully at Korrina, who smirked.

"I'm sure we'll be fine together," said Serena.

"Right on," said Korrina. "Sorry about taking up all the good real estate in here, though. We'll have to work on that."

Serena looked at the lumpy cot in the corner again and frowned when she realized that the path she cleared to it the last time she was here had since been filled with even more boxes and parts.

"I, uh, may have undone some of your work to make room for myself," said Korrina, shifting her stance and trying to conceal an awkward laugh.

"Not to spring too much upon you as soon as you've arrived," said Clemont, "but the state of this spare bedroom is one of the reasons why my father was so keen on offering you a job."

"It was?" said Serena.

"Yes," said Clemont. "You see, this room has become something of a warehouse for my father. All of these parts belong to his shop's inventory."

Serena's eyes widened. Though it was mostly due to her newfound appreciation of the size of the mess, she had to admit that she was surprised to hear that Clemont was not the source of it.

"I'm… supposed to clean up all of this?" said Serena.

"Eventually," said Clemont. "I think my father will be able to fill you in on the details far better than I can. You'll have to ask him about it later when he gets home. In the meantime, feel free to move around as much of it as you need to make yourself at home."

Serena grimaced. An ocean of metal and cardboard separated her from her bed, growing wider by the second. Her heart sank. This wasn't going to be easy.

"Well, I'll leave you be," said Clemont. "I suspect you're eager to get settled in. Bonnie and I need to head to the gym to take care of a few things this afternoon, so we'll be heading out again shortly. Korrina, you're welcome to join us, as always."

"I'll pass on watching you do paperwork, but thanks," said Korrina.

"Very well, then," said Clemont. "I'll see you both this evening. Ready, Bonnie?"

Bonnie pouted and crossed her arms.

"Why do I have to go? It's not my gym! You're just gonna sign a bunch of papers! It's so boring! I wanna stay here!"

"I need your help looking after the Pokémon," said Clemont. "Some of them are much more cooperative with you these days than they are with me."

"That's because you've been too busy with Korrina to pay attention to them!"

As if Bonnie had delivered a collective slap to everyone's face, the room went silent. Clemont promptly turned red. With one hand behind her head and an awkward smile on her face, Korrina looked aside. A moment later, when Clemont looked to her in apparent desperation, she stuck the tip of her tongue out at him and then laughed.

When Bonnie joined Korrina in laughter, Clemont deployed his Aipom Arm. Bonnie's laughter echoed down the hall as Clemont dragged her out of the room. Korrina remained in the doorway until Clemont's footsteps dissipated down the staircase.

Bewildered, Serena stood there, motionless. There was nothing unusual about what she had just witnessed. She tried to remind herself of that, but it seemed that her body had no interest in listening to her mind. She couldn't understand it. Her heart was racing. Her face was tight. She couldn't remember the last time she breathed.

Determined to think of anything else, Serena instead turned her attention to planning the easiest route through the mess to her would-be bed. Before she could make any progress, she jumped when she heard Korrina's voice.

"Those two are adorable."

Serena turned around and saw Korrina walking toward her own cot. She sat down on the side of it and continued to speak.

"I really am sorry about all this mess. I know it's gonna be your job and all, but I didn't mean to make it harder for you."

Serena shook her head. She used the momentary silence to draw breath again.

"It's not your fault," said Serena. "Didn't you only learn I was coming a few days ago?"

"Yeah, but still!" said Korrina, leaning over to pick up a stray shirt from the floor. "I swear I don't keep my own room this messy. And your room was way neater than mine, trust me."

There was a silence that continued for several seconds longer than Serena intended. Her mind came skidding to a halt. There was something awfully familiar about all this, like she had seen it once before, although not quite in the same way. She had once been present for a roommate introduction similar to this one. She had been the one in Korrina's seat.

Serena swallowed. It was nothing. It was meaningless. She drew breath.

"I'm really not a clean freak," said Serena. "Trust me, it's mostly because my mom would lecture me if she came into my room and found even one sock on the floor."

"Ha! I feel ya," said Korrina. "Totally been there. The lesson never really got through my head, though. In one ear and out the other, you know?"

"Oh, definitely," said Serena. "Although, right now I kind of wish I had listened more. Some of my mom's organization tips would really be handy."

Korrina shrugged with one shoulder and held up her hands like they were scales weighing the pros and cons.

"Well, hey, you don't have to worry about any more lectures here," said Korrina. "And it may not be my job, but I'll help you as much as I can!"

A thought occurred to Serena.

"So, you're staying here, aren't you?" she asked.

"Yeah."

"Why didn't Meyer offer you the job, then?"

_"Technically_ I'm still employed," said Korrina. "Being a gym leader is supposed to be a full-time job. You can get away with having a side gig if you run it as part of your gym, but the Kalos Pokémon League really doesn't want their gym leaders to have other jobs outside of their gyms. They say it's because they want us to be focused, but it's all just a bunch of legal junk. If I took another job outside of my gym, I would have to resign as the Shalour City gym leader."

"But they're okay with Clemont leaving a _robot_ to do his job?" said Serena. "And you, too?"

"As long as the job gets done and there aren't any rules being broken, I don't think the league cares," Korrina said with a shrug. "Having a robot do your job isn't against the rules. Clemont checked. Twice."

"Huh," Serena said flatly, unsure what to make of it all. "So, how long have you been here?"

"A few weeks," said Korrina. "It took Clemont a few tries to get the prototype of Korrinabot working right. Once I was sure it was good enough to run the gym without me, I left and came here."

Korrina let out an exaggerated yawn and stretched deeply before flopping down on her cot and propping up one leg.

"It's great here," she said. "It's been fun! It'll be even more fun now that you're here."

Serena's lips tightened for a moment.

"I... hope so," she said. "I've made things a lot less fun everywhere I've been recently."

"No need to be so down about it," said Korrina. "You can have a fresh start here! Honestly, I think I kinda needed one, too. It's been awesome with just me and Lucario here."

Serena gripped her bag and felt her four Poké Balls resting in the bottom of it. Ribombee, at least for the moment, was behaving. Serena feared the avalanche of metal and cardboard Ribombee would surely set off if she bounced off the walls in this room.

"I've got all of my Pokémon with me, though," said Serena. "I'm not sure I would have wanted to leave any of them behind."

"Oh, I didn't want to, either," said Korrina. "I just had to leave a few of them with Korrinabot to run the gym. I wish they were here with me. I couldn't leave Lucario, though."

Through the fabric of her bag, Serena felt Delphox's Poké Ball. It was warmer than the others, almost imperceptibly so. Would anyone else have been able to sense it? Was the warmth even there at all? She wasn't sure. She was even less sure if she would have been able to make the choice Korrina made. She wasn't certain what sounded worse - leaving behind all of her Pokémon, or leaving behind all but one.

Her heart skipped a beat when she remembered that Ash did that all the time. It skipped another beat when she realized what a hypocrite she was.

She left him behind. She almost left Delphox with him.

* * *

Serena's intent was to talk to Meyer before going to bed that night, but as she learned, he routinely stayed late at his shop. Her attempt to stay awake and wait ended with her falling asleep with the light on and not waking up until the next morning. To her good fortune, Korrina seemed completely undisturbed by this, sprawled out on her cot and snoring loudly as Serena left the room.

The scent of burnt toast lingered in the kitchen, but Meyer was already gone. Clemont informed her that this was typical, at least on the weekdays. Seeing no better option, Serena dressed, devoured a piece of bread with some jam on it, and headed out the door with an address typed into her navigator tablet.

Fifteen minutes later, she tucked the tablet into her bag as she stood before a run-down building with dozens of secondhand devices filling the windows. The sign above the door had several letters missing, reading as _Me's Electroncs._

Had the door not already been wide open, Serena wasn't sure she would have dared to enter. When she stepped inside, she was greeted by a strong scent of burning plastic and a stronger sense that the shop had seen better days. Aside from a cash register atop a counter, it was impossible to identify which parts of the shop were meant for what purpose. The vast majority of the floor space was occupied by even more towers of overflowing boxes like those in the spare bedroom. The innards of disassembled devices were strewn across every identifiable table, workbench, and countertop in sight. Aside from the devices on display in the windows, everything was at least twenty years out of date, if not more. Next to the cash register, a crackling old radio played at an obnoxious volume. Serena guessed it was at least as old as her mother, maybe older. On a workbench near the back of the shop, a gigantic old TV played the news on mute. In addition to the pair of antennae affixed to the top, it was also covered in assorted unidentifiable parts. Serena could not even begin to estimate how much it weighed.

She stopped for a moment to take a closer look at what she was certain was a video game console from well before her time, a quaint and comically large box of yellowing plastic. She ran her finger over it, wiping away a trail of dust. Before she could clean off her dirty finger, she was interrupted. Meyer's Ampharos emerged from the back room carrying a box.

Serena hid her hand behind her back and attempted to discreetly wipe the dust off on her skirt. With her other hand, she waved.

"Oh! Hello!" she said.

Ampharos did not reply but instead set the boxes it was carrying down on the ground and hurried back into the back room. Confused, Serena allowed her hand to hover in the air for a few seconds before abandoning the gesture and letting her hands fall to her sides.

Tentatively, she took a few more steps forward toward the rear of the shop. Then, she stopped in her tracks as she was startled once again. A booming voice came from the back room.

"A customer? My goodness, why didn't you say something sooner?! We have to hurry!"

A few seconds later, a large, bearded man clad in overalls emerged from the back room in a sprint, skidding to a halt. His eyes met Serena's. They both stared for a few seconds.

"Um, hi," Serena said, raising one hand for a tiny wave of greeting.

Before Serena could retract her hand, she yelped as she was wrapped up in a crushing hug. Meyer's massive arms pulled her off the ground. When he spoke, he sounded as though he was so overcome with joy that he was on the verge of tears.

"Serena! You made it! It's so good to see you again! Thank _goodness_ you're here!"

Serena tried to respond but found that Meyer had squeezed all the air out of her lungs. Instead, she squirmed. Meyer eventually released her.

Face-to-face again, Serena heard Meyer sniffle as he wiped away what appeared to be actual tears from the corners of his eyes. Though it was hardly the first time she had met the man, she still didn't understand him at all. As she had seen every time he interacted with his children, he was moved to tears by the strangest and most innocuous things. That already very long list now included her having the decency to show up on time for her first day of work, apparently.

While Meyer wiped his face with a very dirty rag he pulled from one of his many pockets, Serena caught her breath and found her manners. She bowed her head to him.

"It's good to see you again, too," she said. "Thank you so much for having me. I don't know how I can repay you for your hospitality."

"You're welcome, but really, the pleasure is mine," Meyer said, stuffing the filthy rag back into his overalls. "I'm so happy to have someone to help around here. And to have you back with Clemont and Bonnie, too!"

Meyer folded his arms, his eyes looking all around the shop. Serena followed his eyes, once again taking in the staggering size of the mess in which they stood. A nerve twitched somewhere deep inside her stomach. She wished she had known what she was getting into beforehand.

"Things have been getting kind of out of hand around here, as you can see," said Meyer.

Serena nodded. It was a massive understatement.

"Things just haven't been the same ever since Clemont and Bonnie went on the road with you and Ash," Meyer continued. He gestured toward one of the many towers of spare parts. "I never had any problems with inventory building up like this because Clemont was always using them for his experiments. And I know you know how often those explode."

Serena nodded more vigorously.

"These days, he's more interested in more… _stable_ devices," said Meyer. "That, and he's been so busy with his gym and with Korrina since he returned that he hasn't even put a dent in using up any of the parts I collected while he was away."

"You collected all this stuff for him?" said Serena.

"Well, yes, but actually no," Meyer said, scratching his cheek. "I've always picked up people's spare and unwanted electronics. Old stuff, mostly. But these days, it seems like there's more of it than ever to find and less than ever to do with it. Hardly anyone has a TV like that anymore, you know?"

Meyer gestured with his thumb toward the gigantic old TV playing on mute. Serena took another look at it. She recalled having one like it when she was very young, maybe. The memory was hazy at best. Still, there was something awfully familiar about the faint, barely perceptible, incredibly high-pitched whine the old TV constantly made.

"Everyone's throwing these things out, but most of them still work! Between here and home, I've got enough CRTs to start my own used TV shop. And that's only the tip of the iceberg."

Meyer shoved an arm into a nearby box and pulled out what looked like an antenna with an unidentifiable ball of wires dangling from it.

"Radios, old computer hardware, game consoles, you name it," said Meyer. "I don't even know how much of this stuff I've got! That's where you come in."

Serena gulped.

"Clemont mentioned something like that about all the boxes and parts in the spare bedroom," she said.

"Yes indeed!" Meyer said, dropping the mystery object back into the box. "Eventually, I want to clear out that room and get all of that stuff organized here at the shop. For now, we have to focus on here. There's hardly any room to move around in here!"

Serena nodded, grimly.

"So, I figure the easiest way to make more room in here is to get stuff out of here. That's what I need your help with, at least today. I've got some deliveries to make, but I'm swamped here with all the repairs I have to do. So, I'd like you to make those deliveries for me! You'll find all the packages stacked up by the back door."

* * *

A short while later, Serena found herself in the strange position of wandering through the streets of Lumiose City with a long list of addresses in her pocket and a variety of small packages tucked into a sack over her shoulder. She wasn't exactly thrilled about the situation, but she figured that since Meyer's shop could probably be condemned due to the extraordinary fire hazard it posed, anything that kept her outside was probably for the best.

Her outing lasted several hours, taking her all around the city. As she discovered over the course of her deliveries that day and the next few days, Meyer's business seemed to consist mostly of him performing minor repairs on modern electronic devices while collecting old ones for no apparent purpose. As the week progressed, when Serena wasn't delivering repaired phones and laptops to various people throughout the city, she was neck-deep in a sea of electrical parts.

Aside from the overwhelming feeling of not knowing where to start with organizing Meyer's mess, Serena's first week on the job was surprisingly pleasant and mostly uneventful. In a way, it reminded her of being at home, with hours and hours whiled away in mindless pursuits which seemed to have no end. The work itself was far more pleasant than farm labor, though. Her days of sweating and getting covered in dirt were replaced with days of wandering around the beautiful city for deliveries and listening to Meyer's ancient radio while sorting parts behind the counter.

At least, Meyer's radio was pleasant whenever he stepped out of the room and Serena got the chance to turn the volume down. She never saw him do it, but somehow the volume always got turned up again before too long.

The job's greatest benefit, though, was what happened after hours every day. Instead of hiding away in her room and collapsing immediately from exhaustion, every evening featured some new adventure with her friends. When Serena eventually fell asleep every night, she was exhausted in a good way. The only trouble was that it was often later than she intended. Her outings had a tendency to run long, but she couldn't complain. The entertainment value of watching Korrina attempt to teach Clemont how to roller skate was more than worth a late night.

The only unfortunate occurrence of the week was when Meyer asked her to come into the shop to make some deliveries on Saturday morning. Serena was relieved to see that there were fewer deliveries to make than usual, and Meyer assured her this was not to be a regular occurrence. And so, when Serena finished making her deliveries by midday, she found herself alone on another picturesque autumn day.

On her way back to the shop, Serena stopped at a roadside food truck and acquired lunch, in the form of a cone filled with some unidentifiable food-like substance. For a while, she sat on a park bench picking it, gazing at the colorful trees and tossing bits of it to the flocks of Fletchling and Pidove which gathered on the sidewalk in pursuit of crumbs. There was a bit more of a chill in the air than usual. She felt the bite of encroaching winter air in both her nose and her toes. The strangers passing by all seemed to be dressed more warmly than she was. For a while, she wondered if maybe Korrina had a coat or something she could borrow, but after considering it, a thought occurred to her.

She wasn't exactly broke, after all.

A short while later, Serena stopped in front of a boutique and wandered inside. Immediately, a familiar feeling came to her - a feeling that she wasn't supposed to be in such a place. Her cobbled-together outfit of ill-fitting hand-me-downs could not have been more different from the chic attire on display all around her. She feared it made her stand out as though she were wearing a neon safety vest, doomed to be escorted out of the building by security in a matter of seconds for trespassing.

But Serena meandered from the front door into the forest of racks undisturbed. No one ever came to bother her.

Left alone, Serena picked through the racks for a while, considering her options. After several of her more recent visits to boutiques, it felt bizarre to be in one alone. So bizarre, in fact, that when she heard something rattle on the shelf behind her, she gasped and spun around expecting someone to be hovering over her shoulder, watching her.

There was no one there. The sound was nothing more than the rustling of some hangers caused by bumping them with her bag. There was no pair of eyes hovering over her shoulder, real or imagined. There was no one waiting in the woodwork to jump out and accuse her of her crimes. There was no Aria, no Palermo, no Lillie. There was no one, and Serena felt strangely and acutely alone.

She considered the skirt she held in her hands for a moment, then looked up. Was anyone there at all? Had the store simply emptied without her noticing? No, that wasn't the case. It took her a few seconds of searching, but a cashier remained at the front counter, absentmindedly scrolling through something on her phone. Serena wasn't sure whether or not to feel relieved that the girl was a stranger. A part of her _wanted_ to believe it was someone she knew.

She examined the skirt once again, then frowned and put it back on the rack. There was something missing. Not just from the skirt, but from everything. Things weren't right. What was it, though? Loneliness? She saw her friends every day now. She hadn't had so much fun in months.

Serena circled around to the other side of the rack and caught sight of a mirror at the end of the aisle. When she approached it, the only reflection in it was her own. Like ghosts over her shoulders, she remembered the sight of seeing Aria and Lillie with her in similar mirrors, far away. It felt a world away now. It strained her mind to believe it had only been a few months.

She couldn't decide why it all bothered her so much. Was it the silence that permeated the store, so deafening that she couldn't hear the anodyne pop music playing endlessly over the intercom? Was it the emptiness, the resounding echo of months of self-imposed solitude that seemed to make everyone around her disappear? Was it fear, the lingering dread of everything she had done being aired to the world? The thought of it made her pity Aria. The idea of all her mistakes being caught on camera made her stomach quiver.

Serena knew the answer, though. As she held a shirt up in front of herself in the mirror, she looked herself in the eye for a moment, then closed her eyes and exhaled a deep sigh.

It was regret.

Dissatisfied, she placed the shirt back where she found it. Dirty, rotten, useless cliches ran through her head. _Live your life with no regrets._ Too late for that. She crossed her arms and creased her eyebrows as she continued her search. Everybody always said to have no regrets. Nobody ever said what to do once you had them.

How were you supposed to get rid of them? Was it even possible? Serena doubted it. How was she ever going to make up for the things she had done? There was no way to undo them. She could not un-read Lillie's diary. She could not un-extort Aria. She could not un-tell the lies she had told. She could not unbreak everyone's trust.

And yet, somehow, the world collectively decided she deserved a second chance. It made no sense to her. What was she supposed to do? Was she supposed to pretend nothing had ever happened? Was she supposed to simply go to work and not cause trouble and wait for Ash to return and hope for the best? The thought of it made her scoff. How could she just _get away_ with everything in the end? How? Why? Why was this what she got when she had inflicted so much worse on others?

Serena hated it. She hated it all, and she hated the clothes in the boutique most of all. She left without buying anything, and she journeyed from store to store all afternoon until she finally found a place selling something she liked.

After hours of searching and trying on dozens of outfits, Serena stood in front of a mirror in yet another boutique, dressed in new clothes from head to toe. She scrutinized every detail, feeling more and more cautiously optimistic by the second. It was different, for sure, but that was what she liked about it.

She wore a thick yet form-fitting sweater that was covered with horizontal black and white stripes, with the sleeves pushed up to her elbows. Along with it, she wore a black pleated skirt which stopped a few inches above her knees, dark gray tights, and black flats. Around her neck hung a red scarf, standing in sharp contrast to everything else.

She pondered it all for a moment. She fixated on her hair. It was growing longer again, now down past her shoulders. It was precisely the wrong length for her to do anything she wanted to do with it. So, she pulled it back into a tight ponytail. It was oddly satisfying. The only thing amiss was what she used to secure it. Ash's ribbon was long gone, claimed by the sea. She had to use a simple hair tie instead.

The only thing stopping her from buying it was how different it was from everything she had worn before, but that was also its greatest appeal. It was only after a great deal of hemming and hawing to herself about it that Serena realized the sun was setting, and she hurried to the counter to pay and make her way home.

* * *

Serena was at first not enthusiastic to find Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina all in the kitchen when she entered the house, but the reaction she received to her new outfit quickly put her concerns to rest. Bonnie fawned over her, Korrina told her she looked awesome, and Clemont chimed in to say he was inclined to agree with the assessment. As such, Serena's second week on the job got off to a good start and continued in much the same way the first had, albeit with more time spent sorting parts in the shop due to a couple of rainy days.

It was midday on Thursday when the weather cleared up enough for her to go out for deliveries again. Pleased to see the sun for the first time in days, Serena was more than willing to take an extra-long route and spend some additional time outside. As such, she spent the afternoon traveling all over the city, taking the opportunity to visit some of the less-traveled roads along the way.

Feeling peckish and eager for a break, Serena stopped at a café in a quiet alley. When she entered, there were only a few patrons inside. A rather businesslike woman sat at the counter, scribbling in a notebook. An older man sat in a secluded booth, only his balding head visible over the top of his newspaper. The scratchy sound of what Serena assumed to be a record played somewhere in the background.

Serena took a seat beside the window. By Lumiose City standards, this was a quiet neighborhood. Across the street, a woman pruned the dying flowers in her window box, with a rather distraught-looking Flabébé hovering next to her. A man on the sidewalk swept the fallen leaves into a great pile, a Gogoat steadily chewing on them. Near the end of what she could see of the road, the postman slipped an envelope through the mail slot of someone's door.

Serena's heart fluttered. It had been almost two weeks since she sent her letter to Ash. Had he received it? If he had, surely he would not have sent another letter to her house. She had not heard from her mother about any mail arriving for her, so perhaps that meant he really had received it. There was no way to truly know, though, and her mind wandered.

Her mind only returned from its journey when she noticed the reflection of another person approaching her table. Before Serena could turn to look, the other person spoke.

"Welcome! What can I get you?"

"Oh! Um, tea, please."

Serena turned her head. A waitress stood next to her table with a pad of paper and a pen at the ready.

"Chamomile, if you have it," Serena added. While the waitress wrote, Serena's eyes shifted to her attire. Aside from the white apron across her waist and the white buttoned shirt she wore with the sleeves rolled up, she was dressed in all black, even including the rims of her glasses and the beret on her head.

"Certainly," said the waitress. "Anything-"

Their eyes met. There was a pause.

"... else?" the waitress finished.

Serena stared for a second longer than she wanted, and she hurried to look away.

"No," she said, shaking her head and then pointedly looking away, out the window.

"Very good, then," said the waitress. She turned away.

When Serena heard the footsteps begin to fade, she turned and looked. From behind, she caught only a glimpse of the girl before she disappeared around a corner. But before she vanished, Serena wasn't sure of what she saw. She tried to convince herself that her eyes were deceiving her, that it was nothing more than a coincidence. Maybe it was nothing but a trick of the light, but she thought she had seen the girl's red hair drawn up into a tight bun.

A few minutes passed. Serena looked all around for any sign of the girl. It became harder and harder for her to remember what she had just seen. Was she imagining things? Had it happened at all? It didn't seem possible, and yet, her mind lingered on the thought.

Until another young woman approached the table with her cup of tea.

"Sorry for the delay," she said, placing the steaming saucer on the table in front of Serena. "Arielle was just taken sick and needed to leave."

Serena's heart skipped a beat.

That _name._

"Oh. Okay, thank you."

The new waitress walked away. As soon as she was gone, Serena rummaged through her bag for all the loose change she could find, dumped it on the table, and ran out the door.

Outside again, she looked all around, frantic. There was no sign of the girl anywhere on the street. But then, it occurred to Serena that she had not seen her leave, at least not through the front door.

Serena ran to the end of the block and swerved around the corner. Narrowly avoiding a collision with a rather disapproving-looking woman, she took off toward the rear of the building. She came to an abrupt stop when she passed a narrow alley. She staggered to a halt and backed up. She looked down the alley. At the far end, she saw a figure in black and white.

"Hey! Wait!"

The figure disappeared around a corner.

The alley was too narrow to safely navigate, though. Serena planted her feet on the pedals again and pedaled as hard as she could. She had to make it all the way around the block before her target disappeared again.

Half a minute later, stumbling over several stray bottles and a displaced trash can lid, Serena emerged from the alley and came to a sudden halt on the sidewalk, stopping herself mere inches from the street. A car went zooming past, leaving her momentarily awash in a blast of warm air and tousled hair. She hurried to regain her composure, ignoring the strange looks she received from several bystanders.

Serena looked all around. Her target could not have gotten far. It had only been a few seconds, but somehow, the figure in black and white seemed to have vanished. Serena could not fathom how. The street was wide open, in broad daylight. There was nowhere to hide. Paranoid, she turned around expecting to see someone there. As ever, there was not.

With one hand grasping her forehead in exasperation and the other clutching the straps of her bags with white knuckles, Serena searched the street again. She remained at a total loss until she saw another person disappear.

A woman disappeared down an escalator, into a metro entrance.

Serena made a cursory glance toward the oncoming traffic and then ran out into it anyway, dashing between a pair of oncoming cars and receiving multiple honks from irritated drivers in the process. When she reached the other side of the road, she made a quick turn and swung her momentum around by gripping the escalator railing, almost falling down the escalator face-first in the process. When she regained her balance, she descended the escalator as fast as her feet would allow.

At the bottom, Serena came to another sudden stop. A small queue of people milled about, slowly progressing through the turnstiles to board the train, each of them tapping a metro pass to the scanner as they went through. Serena looked beyond the turnstiles and her heart lurched. The figure in black and white was up ahead, already through and heading for the platform.

Serena dug through her bag like mad as she entered the line, searching for her metro pass. It was in there somewhere, acquired on some outing with everyone the week before and now long forgotten at the bottom of her bag. She caught sight of a screen above the turnstiles. The next train was due to leave in one minute. The line advanced. She dug more frantically.

When she reached the front of the line a few seconds later, she still hadn't found her pass. For a moment, she considered hopping over the gate, but then caught sight of the guard just beyond it. Desperate, she held her entire bag up to the scanner. A moment later, the turnstile opened, and she ran through, earning a glance from the guard along the way.

Sprinting through the tunnel, Serena arrived at another escalator above the platform. Below, people were boarding the train. Among the masses, Serena saw her – the girl in black and white. Before Serena could get a good look, the girl slipped inside one of the cars on the far side of the platform. Serena squeezed through several stragglers on the escalator and dashed onto the platform. She was greeted by blinking hazard lights informing her that she was too late. The doors were about to close.

She shoved her hand into her bag and threw a Poké Ball toward the train.

"Pancham! Hold the door!"

Pancham burst out of the ball and materialized in the doorway of the last car of the train. A moment later, the doors began to close. Gritting his teeth, Pancham gripped the sliding doors and wedged himself between them, preventing them from closing.

The train began to move, sliding away from her. Serena pushed for one last burst of speed, then jumped. She leaped over Pancham and through the open door, slamming onto the floor of the train car. Pancham let go of the door and it snapped shut, just as the train left the platform and entered the dark tunnel beyond it.

After taking a few moments to regain her bearings and confirm that she was unharmed, Serena rose to her knees to catch her breath and saw the eyes of every person in the car staring at her. She gave everyone a nervous smile and then turned her attention to Pancham.

She thanked Pancham and returned him to his ball, then went to the door. Through the glass pane, she could see nothing but the faint darkness of nondescript concrete walls passing by on the outside and the reflection of everyone in the car keeping their distance from her on the inside. She was grateful for it. It would make it easier for her to observe at the next stop.

A minute or two later, the train slowed and then emerged into another illuminated underground chamber, coming to a stop at a platform. The doors opened, and Serena stepped one foot outside, her eyes glued to all the other doors. People embarked and disembarked, but there was no sign of the girl in black and white. The doors began to close, Serena stepped back inside, and the train continued to the next stop. And so the cycle repeated there, and at the next stop, and the one after that.

The train came to yet another stop. This time, as it pulled up to the platform, Serena felt like a fool for having her face pressed up against the door because she came face-to-face with an ocean of people waiting on the platform on the other side. When the door opened, chaos ensued. The giant crowd of people all hurried to board the train, blocking her view of the other cars.

The warning lights on the platform began to blink. The doors would close in only a few seconds. Serena wasn't sure what to do, convinced she had lost sight of her target.

And then she saw the girl in black and white ascending the escalator at the end of the platform.

Serena slipped out the door just as it closed behind her. She wanted to run for the escalator, but it was impossible. She could barely move. The station was far too crowded. She tried to weave her way between people to little avail, quickly losing sight of her target. A full minute passed before she made it to the escalator, and another two full minutes after that before she made it through the exit turnstiles and up the escalator to the street.

When she finally reached the surface again, Serena's chase came to a halt. She found herself paralyzed in a sea of humanity, with hundreds if not thousands of people obscuring her view in every direction. She looked up, and her jaw dropped. She was in the center of the city, in the plaza at the base of Prism Tower.

The girl in black and white was nowhere to be found.


	3. Out of Reach

Chapter Three - Out of Reach

Bewildered, Serena stood still in the sea of people, the world passing around her as she failed to wrap her mind around what had happened. What was that? What was she thinking? Had she lost her mind? She had traveled halfway across the city on a moment's notice in pursuit of a total stranger. She had barely even gotten a look at the girl in the café. It had to be a mistake, a trick of the eye, the resemblance purely a coincidence. There was no way it could be anything else. Nothing else made any sense. There were millions of people in the city. The odds were phenomenally against it.

And yet, her mind lingered. She was only shaken from her trance when a rather disgruntled-looking stranger bumped into her a bit too hard in passing. Serena shook the spell from her eyes and realized she had been disrupting the flow of pedestrian traffic for several minutes. Eager to remove herself from the situation, she forced her way through the crowd of people. Bypassing the tourists congregated at the entrance to Prism Tower, she took a side door and entered the gym corridor. She proceeded down the hall and to the gym's doors, grateful that Clembot's electrifying badge-checking feature had long ago been disabled.

Upon entering the gym, she found a battle in progress. Clembot commanded Heliolisk against the challenger and his Diggersby. On the sidelines, Clemont scribbled in a notebook feverishly while his eyes darted back and forth from the battlefield. Bonnie and Korrina sat in the bleachers, their attention fixed on the battle.

No one seemed to notice Serena's arrival. When she entered the bleachers and approached Bonnie and Korrina, she was greeted with shock.

"Whoa!" said Korrina, she and Bonnie both jumping in surprise as Serena sat down beside them. "Where'd you come from?"

"You hate ghosts!" said Bonnie. "Since when did you sneak around like one?"

Confused, Serena stared at them, unsure how to best phrase that she had simply walked through the front door. She didn't get a chance to explain.

"And speaking of ghosts, you look like you've just seen one," said Korrina. "Your eyes are all bugged out. What's up?"

Serena blinked a few times and became aware of a massive feeling of tension in her face. With a conscious effort, she relaxed the muscles. She had no way of knowing how long she had been like that, but she could make an educated guess.

"Trust me, if Serena saw a ghost, she'd look way more scared than that!" said Bonnie, leaning forward in her seat and looking up at Korrina. A light bulb appeared to switch on in Korrina's head.

"Oh yeah!" she said. "You didn't like that old vampire movie, did you?"

Serena shook her head. Before she could say anything, everyone's attention was drawn to the battlefield.

Heliolisk had landed a knockout hit on Diggersby by using Surf. On the sideline, Clemont tucked his notebook under his arm and pushed his glasses further up his nose. He looked very pleased. The challenger did not look pleased at all. A rather rotund young man with a scraggly beard, he returned Diggersby to its ball and then pointed at Clembot while glaring daggers at Clemont.

"Unfair!" he said. "This robot's cheating!"

Heliolisk tilted his head at the challenger. Clemont's confident smile persisted. Clembot remained expressionless as always.

"A baseless accusation," said Clembot. "It is not within my programming to intentionally violate the rules, and any accidental infraction of them results in my immediate forfeiture of the battle. On what grounds do you make such a claim?"

The challenger continued to stare at Clemont.

"This is an electric-type gym! What's your Heliolisk doing using Surf? How can it even learn that?"

"I assure you that the swimming ability of Heliolisk, as well as its ability to use a limited selection of water-type moves, has been well-documented," said Clemont. "As a matter of fact, Heliolisk's usage of such moves is considered commonplace by more experienced trainers, as those moves serve to counter Heliolisk's biggest weakness. Furthermore, I assure you that there is no prohibition in place against gym leaders using moves which are not of the same type as their Pokémon. After all, if I were required to only use electric-type moves, what challenge would my gym pose to anyone?"

_"You_ didn't do anything! Your robot did all the work!"

"There is also no rule prohibiting the use of a robot in place of the gym leader," said Clemont. "I can direct you to the relevant provisions of the rulebook if you wish."

"Just because you're allowed to do it doesn't mean it's fair, you know-it-all! Why do you even use that thing if you're here? It's a better trainer than you, isn't it?"

Korrina clenched her fists and sprang to her feet.

_"Hey!"_ Korrina shouted. "That's enough! You lost a fair battle, whether you like it or not! Go train some more, learn something from this, and come back again when you're ready! Complaining won't get you anywhere!"

The challenger leered at Korrina.

"Oh! Of course _you're_ here defending him! _Your_ gym is like this, too!"

There was a punctuated silence. Korrina fists tightened. The challenger smirked.

"You two and your dumb, cheating robots. That one in your gym said all the same stuff about not being programmed to break the rules! Like that isn't an obvious lie!"

The challenger looked at Clemont again. He pointed toward Korrina with his thumb.

"Let me guess. You made her that thing, didn't you?"

Clemont leveled his gaze. His look of assured satisfaction was replaced by something much more serious.

"Yes, I did."

"Ha! Nice try, four-eyes, but a cutie like her is never going to get with a nerd like you!"

Joining Korrina, Bonnie jumped to her feet.

"And no one is ever going to fall for a sore loser like you!" Bonnie shouted.

"Oh, wow. A little girl coming to your defense! You must _really _be an awesome trainer. I bet you-"

Korrina jumped off the bleachers and stalked onto the battlefield.

"For your information, I was _already_ Clemont's girlfriend when he made me my robot!"

Korrina walked directly up to the challenger and stared him in the eye, face-to-face. Serena was certain that the reason he looked momentarily alarmed was that he hadn't expected Korrina to be taller than him.

"It doesn't matter that he's my boyfriend! As a fellow gym leader, I will _not_ allow you to insult this gym, its leader, or his sister! You can either leave now, or I'll remove you by force!"

The challenger gave Korrina a disdainful look and scoffed at her. Before she could erupt again, Clemont spoke.

"I agree that now is the time for you to leave."

"Whatever," the challenger said, rolling his eyes. "You don't have to tell me twice. This place sucks. I'm out of here."

Hands in his pockets, the challenger shuffled his way across the battlefield, shoved the door open, and left.

"And _stay out!"_ Korrina shouted as the door closed behind him.

* * *

Hours later, Serena struggled to fall asleep while the images and words of the day ran through her head. She couldn't decide what had been more bizarre - her chase, or the incident at the gym. Every time she tried to force her eyes shut, her mind replayed another scene from the day, each time becoming more phantasmal and surreal.

The girl in black and white. _Arielle,_ allegedly. The more Serena focused on trying to remember her face, the fainter the picture became. She had been so convinced, so certain… but then again, the girl's eyes weren't quite right. She never even got a good look at her hair. She thought it was red, but she wasn't sure. Was it nothing more than paranoia getting the best of her once again? But if it was, why did the girl so suddenly leave after their eyes met? The possibilities all seemed impossible, and they made Serena's head spin.

Frustrated, Serena sat up in bed and reached for her tablet on the bedside table. She found Ribombee once again mysteriously out of her ball, asleep on top of it. Serena rolled her eyes. The only thing she could figure was that Ribombee was drawn to the warmth the device put out while charging. Gently, she tilted the tablet up. Ribombee slid off the surface, leaving behind a faint trail of dust as she landed on the surface of the table. She stirred awake, looking confused.

Serena unplugged the tablet from the charger, wiped the dust off the screen, and laid back down on her bed. She unlocked the screen and glanced at the time. Midnight approached. As the bright digits seared themselves into her eyes, she heard Ribombee buzz and she fluttered over to join her.

"Shh!" Serena whispered. Ribombee landed beside her shoulder on the pillow. Illuminated by the screen, she gave Serena a pensive look.

Korrina was a heavy sleeper, but Serena had no interest in testing those limits. She knew that Ribombee was more than capable of producing enough noise to wake anyone when sufficiently excited. She gave Ribombee a gentle rub on the forehead with one finger and encouraged her to return to sleep. Ribombee bundled up her scarf and fashioned it into a makeshift pillow, then curled up on Serena's pillow and closed her eyes. Serena let the tablet rest face-down on her stomach for a minute.

She didn't have to sit in the darkness and wonder about what she had seen. She had a way to find the truth. It was a long shot, but it was worth it. She picked up the tablet again, tapped a few icons, and opened her email.

She typed.

_Aria,_

_I hope you're doing well, wherever you may be. If you happen to be in Lumiose City, so am I. I was in a café today and I saw someone who I thought looked like you. I would really like to see you again. If the person I saw today really was you, I'm sorry for being so weird about it! And if you don't want to see me, I understand. I'm sorry for a lot of things. I hope I can make it up to you one day, if you'll let me._

_So, please, if you see me, don't be a stranger, okay?_

Serena paused. She wasn't sure what else to say. Even the little bit she had written felt incredibly forced and awkward.

Next to her ear, Ribombee chittered. Serena looked and saw Ribombee lying there with one eye open. There was mischief on her face. Once again, she felt the instinct to shush Ribombee, but she stopped herself. A thought occurred to her.

Serena sat upright again. She turned her tablet around in her hands and held it with the screen facing away from her, like a dim flashlight. In the faint blue light that illuminated the rest of the room, she saw an empty bed. Korrina wasn't there.

She turned the tablet back around and glanced at the time again. Without so much as thinking, she put her feet on the floor and rose from the bed. A moment later, Ribombee fluttered up to her shoulder. Together, they left the room.

Serena walked down the hall and saw the door to Clemont's room open, and the light still on. She stopped in front of the doorway. Clemont sat at his desk, typing on his computer at a furious pace. He seemed oblivious to everything else.

Serena stepped into the doorway and knocked gently on the open door a few times. Clemont snapped to attention.

"Oh! Goodness, you startled me," said Clemont.

"Not the first time I've done that to someone today, actually," said Serena. She approached his desk. On the computer screen were several windows full of completely indecipherable text. Clemont pressed a button on the keyboard, and another window appeared in which text began to scroll rapidly.

"I'm surprised to see you awake at this hour," he said.

"I'm surprised Korrina isn't here," said Serena.

"I'm not. I don't think she would want to stick around for watching me update Clembot's drivers."

"She's not in our room. I figured she would be in here when I saw the door open."

"Sorry to disappoint you, but she's at the gym."

"The gym?"

"She said she wanted to train. Clembot knows to let her inside."

Serena thought for a moment.

"Does Clembot know to let me inside?" she asked.

Clemont looked at the screen, then back to her.

"Not yet, but he can."

Clemont watched the text flying past on the screen for a moment, his brow tight in concentration. Seeming satisfied, he brought up another window, then turned his attention back to Serena.

"Do you intend to go after her?" said Clemont.

"Maybe?" said Serena, unsure.

"If you don't mind me asking, why?"

Serena's shoulders slackened. Ribombee held onto her shirt tighter to avoid falling off.

"I... don't know," said Serena. "It just feels like what I should do."

"If you happen to be concerned about her, I can assure you she's alright," said Clemont. "It's nothing to worry about. It's not the first time she's stayed out for some late-night training."

"It's not that," said Serena. "Ash did that all the time, you know."

Clemont looked up toward the ceiling and nodded.

"Come to think of it, he did," he said. "Not the brightest observation I've made today. Perhaps it's time to consider retiring for the night."

While Clemont pondered, Serena stewed. Warmth rushed to her face. She grimaced, then shut her eyes as she bowed her head.

"I... don't mean to cause undue alarm," Clemont said, hesitating as he began, "but I'm a bit concerned about you."

Serena opened her eyes and met his.

"Me? Why?"

"Not to be condescending, but I think you understand why," said Clemont.

Serena bit her lip. She nodded. She said nothing.

"I know that understanding emotion is not my greatest strength," said Clemont, "but please, understand that I am very much available to provide an audience if you need one. You can always talk to me."

Serena momentarily clenched her jaw. She sighed.

"I appreciate it, but I'm not so sure that's true," she said.

"You have my assurance that I am telling you the truth," said Clemont.

"I know you are. It's just that I'm not sure I can talk to you about... this."

"About what, exactly?"

"About-"

She was interrupted by Ribombee as she abruptly took flight, dancing frenetically through the air around the room. Serena took the momentary pause to take a breath and gather her thoughts again.

"About Ash, and everything that happened," said Serena.

"Not to be too direct, but Ash is my friend, too, after all. I also miss him."

"Yes, but... he wasn't your _boyfriend."_

Clemont nodded.

"Very true," he said.

Serena struggled to find the right words. Clemont waited.

"It's... hard," said Serena.

"Indeed," said Clemont. "I admit that our experience was rather different from yours, but it was difficult being separated from Korrina for so long while I developed Korrinabot. Long-distance relationships are challenging."

"Well, yes, but it's not _that,"_ said Serena.

"I'm not certain I understand what you mean."

"It's- Ugh, this is why I didn't want to say anything!"

Clemont merely waited for her to continue.

"It's that... it's really hard being separated from Ash, and not knowing when he's coming back, and not even having a way to talk to him, all while you and Korrina are right here, happy together."

Clemont's face slackened.

"I'm jealous!" said Serena, her voice echoing at a louder volume than she intended. "There! That's why I didn't want to say anything! It's really hard to see you two together, reunited after you were apart, while I don't know when I'm going to get to be with Ash again."

Clemont was silent. He looked at the floor.

"It's not fair to either of you, I know," said Serena. "I'm sorry. It's not your fault. It's my fault. It's all my fault. And because of that, the longer I go without hearing from him, the more I worry that... that I'm going to have to figure out what to do without him."

Clemont folded his hands in his lap. He looked up at her again. His lips remained tight.

"I just... don't know what to do," said Serena. As she spoke, Ribombee ceased her frantic dance and landed on her shoulder again. "What do you do when... when you aren't sure if someone you love is ever going to come back?"

Clemont held her gaze for a while. There was a long silence.

"I know the answer to that, but I don't think you want to hear it," he said.

* * *

Back in her bedroom, Serena changed into her day clothes again. When she glanced at her tablet and remembered what she had been doing before she got up, she unlocked it again. She saw the incomplete email still waiting to be sent. She rolled her eyes at it. She had to force herself to resist the urge to toss her tablet aside. That brief moment of hesitation provided her with just enough cynicism to let go of her restraints. With a shrug, she hit _SEND,_ then closed the application and shoved the tablet into her bag.

Leaving the room, she returned Ribombee to her ball. When she stepped out the front door, she exchanged Ribombee's ball with another. Once again, she could easily sense it inside her bag without even looking. With the push of a button, Delphox materialized beside her. Aided by the light from her wand, they walked side by side.

Twenty minutes later, they approached Prism Tower. Serena wasn't sure if it was merely the glare from all the lights on the tower or if the stress and fatigue were getting to her, but as they drew closer, her head ached more and more. She remembered all too well the last time she had experienced such a headache, and all the strange colors she had seen along with it. There was no sign of the moon to accompany it this time, though. Tonight, it was obscured by clouds.

At the main entrance, despite the darkness inside and the clearly-posted signs all around the tower which stated it closed to the public at nine o'clock, the automatic doors slid open for Serena and Delphox without hesitation. Once they were inside, the doors shut behind them, and Serena found the dark, empty foyer eerily quiet compared to her entrance earlier that day. She led the way down the hall toward the gym, with Delphox's wand and a dim light from beyond the doors the only light she could see.

When she reached the door, she stopped. Delphox came up behind her and snuffed out the flame on her wand. She tucked it into her tail and peered over Serena's shoulder. The two of them watched through the window.

Only one of the gym's floodlights was on, the one directly over the center of the battlefield. Korrina stood alone in the circle marking the center, barefoot, but otherwise dressed in her typical athletic training clothes. She moved with a fierce fluidity, assaulting the air with an endless volley of punches and kicks, as though aimed at targets that weren't there. Though the door muffled the sound, she shouted a sharp _kiai_ with each blow, cutting through the silence of the night.

Serena did not open the door. Though it felt strangely taboo to stand there and watch, it felt even more inappropriate to interrupt Korrina. Her movements were like a ferocious, intricate, articulate dance, a performance intended for an audience of no one. Even from a distance, Serena saw Korrina's grimace, her gritted teeth, and the sweat running down her clenched brow. For minutes, Serena watched with bated breath, finding it inexplicably captivating, even beautiful. It came to an end only when Korrina faltered for a moment, let her fists fall, and then sunk to her knees, gasping for breath.

It was only then that Serena pushed against the door. Though she tried to remain silent, the hollow sound of the turning of the lock echoed through the cavernous room, and Korrina spun around on her knees to look at her. Halfway through the door, Serena stopped.

"Serena!" Korrina said through heavy breaths, trying to pull the loose strands of her sweaty, matted hair away from her face. "What are you doing here?"

Serena stepped through the door. Delphox entered behind her. As Delphox entered, Serena realized that Korrina had not been performing for an audience of zero after all. It was an audience of one. On the far side of the battlefield, she saw Lucario look up. He was seated in a meditative stance. His piercing eyes settled on Delphox.

"Clemont told me you were here," said Serena. She stepped onto the battlefield and approached Korrina. Korrina looked like she did not understand.

"He did?" she said, continuing to catch her breath. "But- why? Did he tell you I was training?"

Serena nodded. She bit down on the inside of her cheek for a moment as a realization came to her.

"...should I not have come here?"

Korrina stared at her for a moment, then sank from her knees to a seated position and shook her head.

"No, it's not that," said Korrina. "It's just, _why_ would you come here?"

"To talk."

Korrina pulled her knees up toward her chest and rested her arms on top of them. Looking even more confused, she shook her head again.

"But why? Why would you come here to talk to… this?"

Korrina gestured at herself. She was filthy. Every inch of her exposed skin glistened with sweat. Her hands, feet, arms, and even parts of her face were covered with dirt from the gym floor, adhered to her like mud.

"Because I was worried," said Serena.

Korrina didn't say anything. Instead, she busied herself by focusing on catching her breath.

Sensing the awkwardness, Serena changed the subject.

"That was really impressive, actually. What was that?"

"You were watching?" Korrina said, looking at her again.

Serena bit her lip.

"A bit?"

Korrina's eyebrows raised. She looked away. There was an extended pause, long enough that Serena began to think she may have overstayed what little welcome she had.

"That was a _kata,"_ said Korrina. "From back when I studied karate as a kid. It started out as one, anyway. It turned into… me working through some things."

"I'm sorry for creeping on you," said Serena. "I shouldn't have intruded."

"Don't worry about it."

There was another awkward pause. Neither of them looked at each other.

"I can go now if you want," said Serena.

Korrina shook her head.

"Nah."

There was another silence. Somehow, this one was less awkward. Korrina ended it by rising to her feet.

"If you were worried, there's no sense in making you worry more by kicking you out of here, is there?" she said. She pressed her hands against the small of her back and leaned backward, producing a sharp crack from her spine. "I'm okay, I promise."

"Are you sure about that?" said Serena.

"Of course!" said Korrina. "Nothing keeps me down for long. That guy was a jerk and I got mad, but everything's gonna be okay."

Serena tightened her lips and looked aside for a second.

"You know, I'm kind of like the queen of secretly not being okay," she said.

"Not everybody has some big, bad secret they're hiding, you know," said Korrina.

Serena looked at her feet for a few seconds.

"Are you sure you don't want me to leave?" she said.

Korrina stepped past Serena and beckoned for her to follow.

"Here, this way," said Korrina. "If you wanna talk, we can talk. No sense in getting your clothes dirty, though."

Korrina entered the bleachers, and she sat down on the first row. Serena sat down beside her, keeping an arm's length between them.

"So, what's up?" said Korrina.

"I'm not sure where to start, actually," said Serena.

"After all that?"

Serena gave Korrina a regretful nod.

"Geez, don't make _me_ start this!" said Korrina. "I've always been way better at talking with my fists than with my words."

"I've always been really good at not talking at all," said Serena.

"So… wanna fight?" said Korrina.

"What? No!"

"I'm kidding! I promise!"

"You don't _actually_ want to fight me, do you?" said Serena.

"No way!" said Korrina. "Why would you think that?"

"Because… I don't know. This is really hard to explain-"

_"Should _I want to fight you?"

"I hope not."

"You _hope_ not?"

"I've done a lot of really dumb things."

"I know," said Korrina. "You told us all about Ash and Lillie."

"Yes, but… it's tough for me not to think that everybody should hate me."

"I don't hate you."

"I don't hate you, either."

"Okay, well, that's good," said Korrina. She shrugged. She looked confused by the response.

"I-"

Serena quickly shut her mouth and took a long, deep breath through her nose before she tried speaking again.

"I really _don't _want to always be the girl who wouldn't talk," she said. "And I know that this is super weird, and I know that we don't know each other that well, but I need to talk to someone and I feel like it needs to be you."

Korrina hesitated for a bit. Her face turned more serious.

"Okay," she said.

"I… I don't want this to sound even weirder, but I _was_ a bit worried about you, but that's also not really why I'm here. No offense."

"None taken, but what do you mean?"

"When I came in here earlier today-"

"Oh _yeah!"_ Korrina said, clapping a hand on her forehead. "Something happened to you right before you came in, but that big dumb jerk just _had_ to ruin everything!"

Serena nodded.

"So, what happened?" said Korrina. "It wasn't something really bad, was it?"

"No," said Serena. "I don't think so, anyway. It was just really strange."

"What was it?"

Serena gathered her thoughts.

"So, I went to a café when I was done with my deliveries," she said. "I think I recognized the waitress who came to my table."

"Oh? Who was it?"

"I think it was… _Aria."_

Korrina's eyes widened.

_"_What?"

"I didn't get a good look at her! She ran away as soon as she finished taking my order! She left the café!"

"Wait, what?"

"A different waitress brought me my tea and told me that _Arielle_ had left because she suddenly became sick!"

"That's suspicious," said Korrina, narrowing her eyes.

"I left the café and followed her."

Korrina's eyes widened again.

"You _what?"_

"I tailed her all the way here, to the metro stop at the plaza! But she slipped away from me in the crowd."

Korrina's face was frozen in confusion for a few seconds. When she shook her head, it looked like she was trying to shake something off of it.

"Okay, wow. That's… a lot to take in! You really think it was her?"

"I don't know! The more I try to remember what I saw, the fuzzier the image gets! I was lying in bed earlier trying my best to remember what she looked like, but I couldn't do it! It was so fast and so sudden that I'm not sure if I really saw her or if I'm losing my mind again!"

"Again?"

Korrina gave Serena a curious glance, with an eyebrow raised. Serena gave a nervous smile in reply and looked away.

"Um… yes. Again. Kind of," said Serena.

Momentarily paralyzed, Serena sat with the tip of her tongue caught between her teeth, arresting her speech. Yes, she had explained to everyone what happened in Alola. She had not told them everything, though. There were still a few hideous truths which remained hidden. No one needed to know about her extortion of Aria, or her relentless attacks of guilt-fueled paranoia, or her vicious tantrum in the loft at the laboratory. How could she ever tell them?

And so, she froze. A long silence followed. Korrina leaned a little bit closer.

"Serena?"

"Hmm?"

Her mouth still shut, Serena snapped back to reality and mumbled a reply to Korrina. She found Korrina looking at her with an unexpected expression, one of gentle concern and understanding. But stranger still, there was something else which showed on Korrina's face. It looked very much like embarrassment.

Korrina looked away again before she spoke.

"Oh man," she said, running a few fingers through her damp hair. "I reallywish I had practiced this _talking_ thing more. I don't know what to say!"

"I feel the same way," said Serena. "Every time I try to have a serious conversation with someone, I end up forcing myself to say anything and I never get to the point. I keep trying and trying, but I haven't gotten any better at it."

"Well, why don't we just cut to the chase?" said Korrina.

"What do you mean?"

"What is this _really_ about? What's the point?"

"Um…"

"It doesn't matter what it is. Just say it. I won't judge."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Honestly? No. But hey, I know you the least out of everyone here, so what have you really got to lose? If it's something bad, no big deal! I won't tell if you don't want me to. And if it's something to do with me, no big deal either. We can still get along."

Serena tightened her lips. She thought for a moment. She let out a puff of air through her nose as she hunched over in her seat, resting her elbows on top of her knees.

"Can we trade?" she said.

"Trade?"

"I'll tell you what's really on my mind. You tell me what's really on yours."

Korrina gripped her seat with her hands and leaned back, craning her neck up toward the cavernous ceiling.

"Aw, geez! I don't know if that's a hard bargain or if it's completely fair," she said. "I mean, it makes sense. So, sure. Why not?"

"You'll do it?" said Serena.

"Yeah. Who goes first, though?"

Serena reached into her bag. When she failed to find what she wanted, she dug deeper. Korrina took notice.

"If you're thinking of a battle, normally I'd say yes, but I don't think now is a good time. Not right after a really tough training session, you know? Besides, Delphox kind of has a huge type advantage over Lucario. I mean, yeah, we're super strong, but I think the odds are probably still in your favor."

Serena stopped her search and looked toward the battlefield, where Korrina seemed to be looking. Lucario and Delphox sat opposite each other in the center circle, both meditating. She could only imagine what kind of exchange was transpiring between them. Was it a friendly meeting of minds? Was it a competition? Were they battling each other in their heads? There was no way to know.

"Actually, I was thinking of a coin flip," said Serena. "But, I think I spent all my spare change today. Do you have a coin?"

"Right now? Nah. But it doesn't matter. I'll go first."

"Are you sure?" said Serena.

"Yeah. Why not? What do I have to lose, either?"

Serena assumed it was a rhetorical question. There were a few seconds of silence. Korrina eventually broke it.

"So, you wanna know what's on my mind, why I'm here right now?" she said. "It's simple. I care about Clemont and Bonnie a lot. Yeah, Clemont's my boyfriend. And yeah, I know we haven't been together that long, but those two have become like family to me. And if anyone threatens my family, you can bet I'm gonna defend 'em. So that guy got me really, really mad, and I needed to come here and work through it. Get out my aggression, you know? A whole lot of those punches were meant for him."

Serena nodded. Although several questions came to mind, she said nothing. She expected Korrina to continue.

But when Korrina spoke again, she did not get what she expected.

"So," said Korrina. "What about you?"

"Oh," said Serena. She pointed at herself. "My turn?"

"Yep. Fire away! I'm all ears."

Serena blinked a few times, unsure what to make of the sudden turn.

"Okay, well…"

Serena paused. She saw Delphox open her eyes and shift them toward her, remaining as still as a statue otherwise.

"I've made a lot of mistakes," said Serena. "I've told a lot of lies, and I've done a lot of things I regret. Part of why I left Ash and Lillie in Alola was because I felt like I couldn't do anything right around them anymore and everything I did made things worse, but another part of it was that I felt like I needed to do something to make up for the things I've done. My mom and Clemont both called it right. I was punishing myself. I felt like I deserved it. I still feel like I do. But punishing myself doesn't solve anything. It doesn't make things better for the people I hurt. They're good people. They don't want to see me suffer. They don't deserve to suffer, either. I want to make things better for them. I want to make things right. And so when I saw Aria today - or thought I saw her, anyway - I was terrified because, well, how could I not be? I hurt her. I'm scared to face her. I feel like I have to, though. I feel like I need to talk to her again. I want to apologize to her, whether she'll accept it or not. I want to hear what she has to say to me, no matter what it is. I feel like it's the right thing to do."

Korrina considered Serena's words for a moment.

"You don't have to apologize for not having feelings for someone, you know," she said.

Serena grimaced and shook her head. It was a perfectly sensible assumption, based on the incomplete information Korrina had. Serena cursed herself for her hypocrisy, for failing to tell the whole truth time and time again.

"That's not it," said Serena. "It's a bit more complicated than that."

"Hey, that's fair," Korrina said with a shrug. "It's between you two."

"It's… really complicated, actually. With Lillie, it's so much simpler. I-"

Serena stopped herself and groaned.

"Ugh, I shouldn't think like that," she said. "I can't help it, though. It's true! I hurt Lillie really, _really _badly, but at least she's still just some random girl like you and me. Well- Ugh! That's not true, either! But, well, what I mean is, she isn't famous! She isn't, you know, the _Kalos Queen."_

"I get ya," said Korrina.

"At least I know where Lillie _is,"_ said Serena. "Even if I don't like it, I know she's with Ash in Alola. Aria, though? She could be anywhere. Literally."

"Even working in a café in Lumiose?" said Korrina.

"Yes," Serena said with an emphatic nod. "That's the crazy thing. She's so good at disguising herself. The first time I met her, I had no idea who she was!"

"You know, me too, actually," said Korrina. She scratched her head. "Kind of crazy to think that I had a slumber party with the Kalos Queen without even realizing it!"

Serena nodded again. She remembered it well, the precarious feeling of walking the tightrope of knowing Aria's identity when she joined them at the penthouse to watch movies in a pillow fort.

"And she was my partner at the volleyball tournament," said Serena. "We got knocked out right away, but she looked totally different that day! Remember?"

"Oh yeah, that's right!" said Korrina. "I almost forgot about that. I didn't even realize it was the same girl until you told us about everything after Ash's battle."

"Like I said, she's really good at it," said Serena. "She _wants_ to hide. She's had a lot of practice at it."

"You know, I bet she really has," said Korrina. "She looks so different in all of her videos! She always wears totally different clothes, different hairstyles, everything."

For a moment, Serena had the feeling of a lightbulb switching on inside her head. But then she realized it was more like a candle, and it was quickly snuffed out by the cold wind. She grabbed both sides of her head.

"Of course," she said. "It's no wonder she's good at it. She's spent almost her whole life in show business. She's spent years working with makeup and costuming. How could she not have learned a few tricks after all that time?"

"Dunno," said Korrina. She shrugged. "Makes sense to me."

Serena sighed.

"That's my dilemma," she said. "I want to find someone who is an expert at changing her appearance and has every reason in the world to avoid me. And also she's the most famous person in Kalos. And also we're in the biggest city in Kalos. And that's why-"

Serena steeled herself. There was no turning back.

"That's why I can't do it alone," she said. "I need your help."

* * *

On Saturday morning, Serena was jostled awake.

"Come on, sleepyhead! We've gotta get moving!"

Serena opened one eye and saw Korrina looming over her, fully-dressed. It was still dark outside.

"...what time is it…" Serena groaned into her pillow.

"Time to get up, if you want to find Aria! We've gotta stay a step ahead of her! Now let's go!"

Serena squinted and forced herself upright. She rubbed her eyes. Across the room, near the door, she saw a fully-packed backpack atop Korrina's bed.

"How do you have this much energy this early in the morning?" said Serena.

"Beats me. Looks like I've gotta have enough energy for the both of us, though!"

Korrina grabbed a fistful of the sheets which still covered Serena's legs and pulled them away. Serena pulled her legs up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, curling up in a ball.

"Why?" she whined. "It was warm under there."

"Get dressed, and you'll be warm again," said Korrina. "I'll see you downstairs in five minutes. Don't be late!"

At that, Korrina headed for the door, slung her backpack over her shoulder, and left the room. She closed the door on her way out. Serena sighed, then begrudgingly put her feet on the cold floor and rose from the bed.

She walked over to the window, the same one in front of which she had a heart-to-heart with Clemont a few months ago. Against the backdrop of pre-dawn Lumiose City, the only thing Serena could see was her reflection. She scowled. She still did not know the time. She wondered if it was a more reasonable hour in Alola. It seemed likely. She had always struggled with time zones, though.

Stiff and sleepy, Serena shuffled back over to her bed and dressed in silence, then hobbled her way downstairs. She found Korrina waiting for her in the kitchen. Korrina placed a lid on a steaming travel mug and handed it to her, then led her to the door. Together, they stepped outside into the darkness.

As she had the last time she was out in the dark, Serena called out Delphox to provide them with more light. The two of them followed behind Korrina, the subdued sounds of the city in the early morning all that broke the silence, save for Serena's occasional sips from the mug Korrina gave her. It was filled with a fragrant, scalding hot, and exceptionally strong tea. Serena wondered if perhaps caffeine was the answer to her earlier question about Korrina's energy.

Korrina led them to a metro station. Serena returned Delphox to her ball, and they boarded a train. The car was nearly empty, just them and a few silent, weary souls. Serena could not help but feel a strange connection with them, especially as Korrina unzipped her backpack and extracted a large, rolled-up sheet of paper. Korrina unrolled it and noisily flattened it on her lap, the crackling of the paper earning them a plaintive glance from another passenger. Serena smiled at the man apologetically, then turned her attention to Korrina when she spoke. Mercifully, she spoke in a whisper.

"So, I made this yesterday," said Korrina.

Serena looked at the large sheet of paper. It took her several seconds to understand what she saw. It was a top-down view of an urban area, made from real photographic imagery.

"What is this?" said Serena.

"It's a map!" said Korrina.

"Of where?"

"Where we're going! Look."

Korrina pulled a marker out of her bag. She circled a small building near the center of the map.

"That's the café where you ran into… _her."_

Serena's lips parted as she began to recognize the area. She saw the alley behind the café where her chase began, the avenue where she ran into traffic, and the metro stop where she narrowly managed to catch the train.

"We're going _there?"_

"Yep!"

"Are you serious? We can't just go in there! She'll recognize me for sure!"

"Well, yeah. Duh. We're not gonna go inside. At least, you're not. I might."

"You two have met, though! She knows who you are, and she knows you're connected with me! She'll run from you, too!"

"Exactly!"

"...what?"

"We want her to run," said Korrina. "That way, we can find out where she goes and maybe figure out more about what she's up to. If we've got the right person, that is."

"What's the plan, though?"

"Here," said Korrina, circling another building near the café. "I went and checked this place out yesterday. This building has roof access from the back. The fire escape goes straight up to the top. No locks or anything. It's the tallest building in the area! Pretty good view up there."

Serena's jaw hung open as she realized what Korrina was suggesting.

"So, we're going to stake out up there and wait for her," said Korrina. "If we see her, I'll go down to the café and try to find her. If she runs, you'll be able to see which way she goes and follow her. I even got some sweet gear from Clemont. Check it out!"

Korrina pulled two walkie-talkies and a pair of binoculars out of her backpack. Serena stared at her.

"Pretty cool, huh?" said Korrina.

"We're going to get _arrested,"_ said Serena.

"We'll be fine," said Korrina, waving a hand.

"If anyone sees us they're going to think that we're trying to assassinate someone or blow the place up or something!"

"Nah, no one's gonna care. Who would look at us and think we're assassins?"

"People who see us staked out on top of a building and spying on someone!"

"No one will see us. Why would anyone look up there? And besides, I've got a good disguise!"

Korrina pulled a trenchcoat and a detective hat out of the bag.

"We're undercover!" she said.

* * *

When they came out of the ground and eventually found their way behind the stakeout building, Serena stood at the foot of the fire escape and wondered how her life had come to this. She wasn't certain what she had in mind when she asked Korrina for help. She supposed this was inevitable. She wished deeply though that it didn't have to involve methods that were so shady.

But Korrina was already at the top of the building and beckoning her to follow, and she was still on the ground. So, she sighed, resigned herself to a life of perpetual and inexplicable petty criminality, and trespassed on private property.

Up top, she found that the roof was covered in pea gravel. It made a crunching noise with each step. She crossed it as silently as possible. On the far side, Korrina was already there, lying prone on her stomach, sorting through some items in her backpack. Serena came up next to her and also dropped down on her stomach.

Korrina took the binoculars and hung them around her neck. She propped herself up on her elbows and peered through them.

"Good sightline on the entrance," said Korrina.

With her unaided vision, Serena crawled closer to the edge to take a better look. They were eight stories up. There was no activity on the street below. The sun was just beginning to peek above the horizon. Even without the binoculars, she could see the café well.

"Looks like the café isn't open yet," said Serena.

"Exactly!" said Korrina. "We needed to get here before it opened so that we would be able to see all the employees coming in for the day."

"There's a back entrance, you know," said Serena.

"There is?"

Korrina lowered the binoculars from her face. She and Serena met eyes.

"Yes," said Serena. "That's how she got such a big lead on me when she ran away. She went out the back door, into the alley! What do we do if she comes in that way? We won't see her!"

"Hmm…"

"And what if she doesn't come in at all? It's Saturday. She may not work today!"

"Yeah, that's possible," said Korrina. "It's also possible that the Kalos Queen _doesn't _actually work at a café under a secret identity."

Serena bit her lip.

"I know it sounds crazy," she said.

"It sure does!" said Korrina. She punctuated her statement by placing the detective hat atop her head. "That's what we're here to find out, isn't it?"

Thus began the most boring day of Serena's life. As she had feared, seemingly none of the café's employees entered through the front door. The place appeared abandoned until the front door mysteriously opened from the inside, after which she and Korrina were reduced to catching glimpses of the various staff through the binoculars whenever they approached the front window. Further to Serena's dismay, they all seemed to be dressed in the same black and white outfit, a detail she was embarrassed to have missed during her visit.

By early afternoon, the small supply of food and water Korrina brought had been exhausted. Serena was amazed by how hot it was on top of the building despite the weather not being particularly warm. So, after some tactical discussion, they agreed that Korrina would go down to the café to investigate and bring back drinks.

Serena kept the binoculars. She watched from the building as Korrina crossed the street and approached the café. She saw Korrina take her walkie-talkie out of her bag and speak into it. At the same time, hers spoke right beside her.

"Alright, I'm heading in. Over."

Serena grabbed her walkie-talkie and spoke into it.

"I know, I can see you!"

"Oh. Yeah, duh. Over."

"You're using it in plain sight! Put it away! And make sure it's muted! Don't get us busted!"

"Roger that. Over."

"And why are you talking like that?"

Serena received no reply. She watched Korrina flip a switch on her walkie-talkie and place it in her backpack again, then step through the door.

She spent the next several minutes consumed with anxiety fueled by radio silence. She decided that Korrina's help may have been the newest addition to her list of regrets. Korrina was perhaps the least subtle person she knew, except for Ash. She was probably the least stealthy. The only comfort she had was that she had managed to convince Korrina to leave the trenchcoat and detective hat behind on the roof.

Time dragged. The clock seemed to stop. The longer her wait continued, the less certain she was of what to expect. Did the silence mean Korrina had not found their target, or did it mean she had not recognized Korrina and so Korrina was biding time and trying to gather more information? There was no way to know.

"Come in, Serena. Do you copy? Over."

Serena jumped in surprise as her walkie-talkie interrupted her train of thought. She hurried to grab it and respond.

"Yes. What's going on in there? I don't see you."

Serena quickly added to her response.

"And please don't tell me you're using this thing at your table."

"Negative. I'm in the bathroom. There's-"

"And why do you keep talking like that?!"

There were a few more seconds of radio silence.

"That's what you do with these things," said Korrina. "Talking like you're in the army or something is half the fun! Over."

Serena supposed that the other half was dressing like a stereotypical detective. She was almost relieved that Korrina did not also have a pipe that blew bubbles to complete the getup, or glasses with a fake nose and mustache. She rolled her eyes and asked a real question.

"Did you find anything?"

"If you mean _her,_ negative. She's not here. I did find something useful, though. There's a schedule on a chalkboard near the bathroom. She won't be in again until Monday. Over."

Serena's heart sank.

"But I work that day!" she said.

"Well, I don't!" said Korrina. "Them's the breaks! Over."

* * *

Serena spent the return trip to Clemont's house in a sour mood. While she was partly relieved for her day on the roof to be done, she was equally concerned at the idea of turning the search over to Korrina. She was even more concerned by Korrina's apparent blind enthusiasm for it. She supposed she should consider herself lucky that she was not going to end the day behind bars, but she also had a suspicion that that was exactly what was going to happen to her anyway if Korrina attempted this again and was caught.

Sunday passed, and Monday came. Serena spent the day lost inside her own head. Her mind fought a war of expectations versus desires while she sorted parts on autopilot. While she knew that Korrina was unlikely to make any real headway in one day on her own, she could not help but imagine coming home to find Korrina bearing a note from Aria asking to meet up for tea and talk.

She knew better than to get her hopes up for no reason. She tried to make herself genuinely expect nothing. She was still disappointed anyway.

Korrina spotted the mystery girl, but only briefly. She seemed to vanish when Korrina went inside, and she came and went in different directions. Korrina was unsure if the girl really was Aria. She remained unsure the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that.

On Friday, when the week was done, Serena came home to find Korrina sitting on her bed, with an apologetic look on her face.

"What happened?" said Serena.

"She didn't show up today," said Korrina. "I checked the schedule inside. Her name wasn't on it anymore. I think she quit. I'm sorry."

Serena's jaw dropped, and both her heart and her shoulders sank.

Before she knew it, Saturday came, and with it came plans to attend a fall festival that afternoon. And so, Serena spent much of the day wading through crowds with Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina. All day she lagged a few steps behind. It was easy enough to put on a smile and pretend that everything was alright, that she was happy, that she was enjoying the sights and the smells and the sounds and the excitement.

But it was hard to do all day when she was perpetually two steps behind a happy couple, yet she herself was all alone. It was made harder still by the nagging feeling that she kept seeing a certain figure out of the corner of her eye. All day it teased her, just barely out of reach. When the evening came and the crowd began to clear, Serena lagged even further behind, more distracted than ever. Her friends took notice.

"You okay back there?" said Korrina, calling back to her.

Serena looked and noticed the gap between them was greater than it had been all day.

"I'm fine," she said. "I'm just a bit tired, that's all."

"Well, in that case, don't fall behind now!" said Clemont. "We're on our way home."

"Actually, you guys go on," said Serena. "I'd like to take a walk on my own for a little while."

"You sure?" said Bonnie. "You just said you were tired!"

"I won't be long," said Serena. She waved as she turned and backed away from them, headed toward the park. "I'll see you in a bit, okay?"

"Okay, enjoy," said Clemont. He corralled Bonnie, and together with Korrina they turned and left in the opposite direction. Serena waited until they were out of sight, then hurried across the street into the park.

She passed through the gate. Faint figures dotted the distance, the shadows and silhouettes of people and Pokémon slowly disappearing in the darkness as the last rays of the sun were swallowed by the horizon. None of the figures were the one she sought. Serena ran toward the center of the park, where the lanes crossed and all directions were visible.

She did not find anyone, nor anything. Instead, as the seconds passed and she squinted through the encroaching darkness, her search became ever more futile until it came to an abrupt end. Up above her, there was a faint buzz accompanied by a flash of light.

She looked up. The streetlamp had turned on. Its light drowned out everything in the distance, rendering the horizon invisible. Serena stepped away from the light and tried to look one last time, but it was already too late. It was too dark. The girl in black and white was gone. She may as well never have been there at all.

Serena stood where she was for a while, staring aimlessly into the invisible distance. She felt as though this all reminded her of something, although what it reminded her of was a mystery. She didn't know how to explain it. Perhaps it was more of that strange déjà vu, like watching someone else's memories.

Eventually, she moved on. With her head down, she wandered her way down the lane. A thought crossed her mind, and she laughed to herself. Something like a laugh, anyway. It was more of a puff of air through the nose, an involuntary reaction at the notion of amusement. Regardless, a trace of a smile crossed her lips. It really was amusing. This must have been what Aria's search for her was like in Monego City. It was such a maddening experience. It was no wonder Aria was such a wreck, and she had at least had the security of knowing that the person she was chasing was not trying to avoid being caught.

For that matter, Aria had also had the knowledge that the person she sought was actually that person. Serena shook her head. It was so silly. Not even once had she gotten more than a momentary glimpse of the girl. There was no guarantee it was Aria. There was no guarantee that it was even the same person every time. For all she knew, she could have seen one girl in black and white once who bore a resemblance to Aria and then gone on a wild chase after every girl she encountered who even vaguely matched the description.

Serena came upon a bench. It was empty. She stopped several steps away from it. She knew it was nothing more than a coincidence, but it felt like a sign. There was another bench far away that had once connected her with Aria. All this one did was remind her of how far apart they were now.

She stood and stared at the bench for long enough that her feet began to ache. Rather than sit down, she moved on. She knew it was foolish, but she could not bring herself to sit there. Not now of all times. She was so far apart not just from Aria, but from everyone. Maybe wandering on would bring her closer, she figured. There was no one waiting for her on that bench.

For a moment, she wondered if there was anyone waiting for her at all. She dismissed the thought. She knew it wasn't true. Clemont and Bonnie and Korrina were all waiting for her back at the house. There was certain to be more time spent with them before the day was done. Perhaps they would watch a movie together. Maybe they would play a game. They would do it again tomorrow, probably.

Serena sighed. It made so little sense. She was neither alone nor unloved, yet she felt so much like both. She knew it was so foolish. She had friends who obviously cared about her and wanted to be closer to her. She had a mother who was doing her best to understand, and a job and a place to stay in a beautiful city. She even had someone she loved who was going to return to her, one day. But still, all she could think about was all the ways she ruined everything and how much she wanted to make them right, and how undeserving she was of happiness until she did.

The darkness settled. The few bright stars that were visible in the city twinkled into view. Serena quickened her pace. She didn't want to make her friends wait any longer. She knew what it was like to be in their position. She had spent her whole life waiting for other people. They were the only ones who had ever waited for her.

She passed by more benches and more lampposts. There was something more to all this, she figured. Something about how she always waited, but no one else ever did. And how when she waited, it was for the wrong thing. And when she chose not to wait, it was for the wrong thing. And perhaps the reason why was not because she was an irredeemable heel of a person who did not deserve happiness, but rather because the world was simply under no obligation to give her what she wanted.

She reached the far side of the park. The gate to the rest of the world loomed. Maybe the reason why atonement seemed impossible was that it wasn't up to her, and because what those she wronged wanted mattered more than what she wanted. Maybe the right thing to wait for was for them to tell her that they were ready to talk to her again, and not the other way around.

She liked the idea. But before she could let it settle in her mind, she passed through the gate and saw the girl in black and white standing on the opposite street corner.

Serena stopped in her tracks. Her heart lurched. Her eyes narrowed in disbelief. Only a short expanse of pavement separated them. For the first time since her chase began, she saw the girl's face.

A car passed. In the moment it broke the line of sight between the two of them, the girl in black and white shifted her eyes away from the traffic light. Her gaze landed upon something in the distance, then abruptly snapped to Serena. From across the street, Serena heard a faint gasp as the girl's eyes shot open wide.

Serena stepped forward toward the street. Across the street, the girl stepped backward. She looked all around, momentarily frozen to the spot. Serena was certain she was searching for an escape route.

With one hand extended, reaching out with a gesture that was caught between a greeting wave and a desperate plea, Serena called to the girl.

"Hey!"

The girl's eyes snapped back to Serena. Their eyes met.

They both knew.

The girl turned and ran.

"Wait!"

Without looking, Serena stepped off the curb and into the street. She was greeted by a honking horn and a blast of warm air as a car narrowly avoided her. Stunned, she froze to the spot. For a couple of seconds, she was disoriented by the shock, unable to tell which way the cars were moving. It was only when she received another honk that she realized a car had stopped to let her pass and she ran for it.

When she reached the corner where the girl in black and white had stood a few seconds prior, she saw her all the way at the end of the block, rounding a corner. Serena broke into a sprint after her. At the far corner, she nearly slipped as she made the sharp turn. She saw the girl already at the far end of the adjacent block, waiting to cross another busy street.

"Please, wait!" Serena called.

The girl in black turned her head, saw Serena, looked back at the traffic light, and ran into the street. There was just enough time for her to cross before a river of cars separated them again.

At the far corner, Serena skidded to a halt and dug into her bag. She grabbed a Poké Ball and threw it high into the air. Ribombee emerged from it.

"Ribombee! Follow her! That way!"

Serena pointed across the street. Ribombee chittered a reply, then zipped away.

Seconds passed. Serena grew more and more certain that her chance was lost. There was no way she would be able to catch up. Ribombee grew further and further away in the distance.

The torrent of traffic slowed. Serena clenched her fists. This was her best chance yet. She was not giving up.

The light turned. She ran.

At a speed she did not know she could achieve, she ran down one block, then another, then another. Ribombee waited for her there, the girl in black and white already out of sight. There was no doubt she had turned the corner. Sure enough, as Serena approached, Ribombee made the turn and continued to lead the way.

Another block passed. The streets grew busier. With each passing block, they drew closer to the heart of the city. Serena briefly lost sight of the girl in a crowd of people. When she emerged on the far side of the crowd, she caught sight of her again.

The girl was not far ahead. Her pace had slowed. She gripped her side with one hand and clutched at her chest with the other, audibly heaving for breath even from a distance. She turned back to look, caught sight of Serena, and tried to pick up her pace again. Her face was a deep red.

And so was her hair.

"Please, stop!" Serena called, causing a number of passersby to turn their heads. "Wait! Please!"

The girl in black and white neither stopped nor waited. Instead, she turned yet again, jumped off the curb, and broke through a row of hedges on the far side of the road.

Serena had no choice but to follow. When she emerged on the opposite side of the hedgerow, she found herself at the entrance of a parking garage. The girl in black and white was just visible past a row of parked cars in the distance, her head bobbing up and down as she ran, each heavy step echoing off the concrete walls. She slipped out of sight.

It did not look like she had followed a straight path, instead taking an inefficient turn around the rows of parking spaces. Serena cut the distance and ran straight through the rows, weaving between the parked cars.

But when Serena reached the last spot where she had seen the girl, she came to a halt. The girl was nowhere to be seen. The footsteps had stopped. Hunched over in the middle of the garage, Serena caught her breath for a moment. Ribombee came buzzing up and landed on her shoulder. There was a distant sound. Ribombee chirped excitedly.

"Shh!" said Serena, holding up one finger. She listened more closely. For a moment, she held her breath.

Somewhere, someone else was trying to catch their breath, too. She was hidden somewhere among the cars.

Before Serena could determine where, the footsteps resumed. Serena turned and saw a figure streaking past on the far side of the garage, turning back the way they came.

Ribombee buzzed away. Serena ran back to the entrance, expecting to see the girl in black and white dash through the hedges again. Instead, she momentarily ran past the dark alley down which her target had turned. Serena had to stop and turn to continue after her, losing valuable time.

And yet, somehow, she was gaining on the girl. Her target was losing speed. The end of the alley neared. In a few more seconds, they would be on a main street again.

Once more, Serena called for her.

"Why are you running? I just want to talk to you!"

There was no reply.

"Please!"

The girl emerged on the main street again. She turned and disappeared. As she turned, there was a flash of light and the unmistakable sound of a Poké Ball opening.

Ribombee zoomed around the corner. When Serena reached the end of the alley, she emerged onto a deserted street. Though she recognized the street and knew it was normally busy, it was a place she had only seen before in daylight. It was night, though. The shops which lined the street were all closed.

Up ahead, Ribombee rounded yet another corner, this time without waiting for Serena. Again, Serena took off in a sprint.

"Hey, w-!"

Serena was not able to finish the sentence. Instead, her chase came to a sudden end as a pair of hands reached out from a dark alley and grabbed her by the neck of her sweater. In one swift motion, her assailant swung her around, using her momentum to slam her backward into a brick wall. The air left her lungs, and Serena found herself, face-to-face with the girl in black and white.

Stunned and unable to make a sound, Serena could do nothing but stare in wide-eyed shock as the girl removed one hand from her collar to fiercely shush her. The girl's face was a deep shade of red, sweat dripping down her cheeks as she labored to catch her own breath. The one hand still on her collar shook as it squeezed the fabric tighter. Pinned against the wall, Serena pressed her hands against the brick, but she did not try to break free. Instead, all she did was stare at the girl's eyes.

It really was her.

The girl in black and white loosened her grip. Her teeth clenched, she spoke in a ferocious whisper.

_"What are you doing? Why are you doing this? Why do you keep following me?!"_

Serena opened her mouth to speak, but she could not make a sound. She could not even draw breath. Winded from the shock of the impact, her lungs began to struggle for air. Her eyes still locked with the girl, she sank a few inches against the wall as her knees buckled. She tried to gasp for air.

The look on the girl's face changed. She whispered again.

"What? Are- Are you okay?"

Serena sank to the ground, breaking free of the girl's grip in the process. She placed her hands on her neck as she struggled to draw breath. She made an unsettling wheezing sound.

The girl dropped down on one knee in front of her. She examined her.

"Oh no. I've hurt you, haven't I?"

Air entered Serena's lungs again. Seconds passed. She took a few unsteady breaths. She tried to speak but failed again. Her frail, shaky words were inaudible, unintelligible.

"I knocked the wind out of you, didn't I?" the girl said. Her face tightened with worry. "I didn't mean to. I'm sorry."

As Serena's breaths became steadier, she continued to stare at the girl in black and white. She could see it so clearly now. She could even hear it. There was no mistaking it.

There were several seconds of silence. When the girl tightened her lips and looked away, Serena tried to speak.

"A- ...Aria?"

The girl paused. Her lips parted, but rather than speak, she first closed them again and nodded.

"Yes," she said.

Their eyes met again. There was a long pause.

"I'm so sorry," said Serena.


	4. Caught in a Web

Chapter Four - Caught in a Web

Aria pursed her lips. She said nothing, instead busying herself with looking around at the street outside the alley. Her expression hardened, and she rose to her feet.

"I can't stay here. Not for long," she said. She extended a hand to Serena. "Here."

Serena hesitated for a moment before accepting Aria's hand. Aria took hold and pulled Serena to her feet.

The two of them stood with some distance between them. Serena dusted herself off, smoothing down the folds of her skirt. Opposite her, Aria stood with her hands in her back pockets, watching the street.

"You should get going," said Aria. "I don't think anyone has seen us. Not yet, anyway."

"I-"

Serena had too much to say to make any particular word come out of her mouth. Instead, she went silent and shook her head, staring at Aria in disbelief.

Before she could say anything, she heard a familiar buzzing sound and caught a whiff of a powerful, sweet aroma. She looked to the other end of the alley, and Aria looked with her. Ribombee flew up the alley in pursuit of pink, feathered Pokémon which Serena quickly recognized. It was Aria's Aromatisse.

Aria held out a Poké Ball and pressed the button. Aromatisse vanished in a flash. Ribombee came to an abrupt halt in midair, the source of the scent she had been chasing suddenly gone. Looking confused, she fluttered up to Serena's shoulder and landed there. Her dewy eyes blinked a few times. Only a moment later, she left Serena's shoulder again and fluttered around Aria's head in a circle, seemingly driven by curiosity. Aria froze in place and followed Ribombee with her eyes. She did not appear to enjoy the attention.

"Ribombee, come back, please," said Serena.

Ribombee did not listen. Instead, she lowered herself to eye level with Aria and hovered directly in front of her face. She seemed to be in awe. Aria drew back away from her a few inches.

Serena sighed and returned Ribombee to her ball.

"Sorry about that," she said. "Ribombee doesn't really understand the idea of personal space."

Aria nodded. Before she spoke again, Serena knew she was going to change the subject.

"Time to get going," said Aria. "You go first. I'll go the opposite way you go. We can't get caught together."

"What?"

"Hurry," said Aria. "I can't guarantee we'll be safe here for long."

"I… don't understand."

"I know," said Aria. "You need to go, though."

"No."

"Serena, please."

"No!"

Serena shook her head, indignant, almost offended. Aria folded her hands and bowed her head.

"I'm sorry, but it has to be this way," said Aria.

"I'm not leaving here without getting a chance to talk to you!" said Serena. "I've worked so hard to track you down! It's been driving me crazy for weeks!"

"I know," said Aria. "I wish it wasn't like this, I assure you."

"Why have you been avoiding me?" said Serena. "Why are you so worried about us being seen together? What happened?"

"Serena, please," said Aria. "This is serious. I need to leave, immediately if not sooner. It may already be too late."

"What are you talking about? What's going on? I don't understand!"

"Serena-"

"I know you have every reason to not want to talk to me, but please! Tell me what's going on! This is going to drive me insane!"

"Serena, I have to go. I'm sorry. I'll explain another time."

Aria turned to leave. Immediately, Serena turned to follow her.

"If you're leaving, I'm going with you!" said Serena. "I'm not letting you go without getting a chance to talk! Not after all this!"

Aria stopped and let out an exasperated sigh while pinching the bridge of her nose.

"You really never do give up, do you?"

Serena gawked. The expression on Aria's face was impossible to read, some incomprehensible combination of amusement, admiration, resignation, and frustration. Taken off-guard for a moment, Serena shook her head.

"No," she said.

"Some things never change, do they?" said Aria.

"I… guess not."

"Look," said Aria. She folded her arms and stood facing Serena again. "We can't do this again, not even if the roles are reversed. You can't waste your time chasing me around the city. Things have become much more complicated since… _then,_ and I have more than enough problems to handle right now as it is. I know that none of this makes sense, but please, I need you to believe me. You do not want to get yourself involved in this."

"Involved in what?"

Aria kept her lips shut tight for a moment while she searched for the words. She failed to find them.

"I can't explain it all. We don't have enough time. I have to get out of here."

"But why?"

"Please, _please, _understand. It's urgent."

"Are you in danger or something?" said Serena. "What's going on?"

"I have to go."

"But-"

"I _have_ to go."

"Wait!"

Aria turned again to leave. Serena lunged toward her and grabbed her by the wrist.

"If you're going, I'm going with you!" said Serena.

Aria met eyes with Serena for a moment, then covered her face with her spare hand.

"Why do you have to be so insistent like this?" Aria groaned. Her voice raised when she spoke again. "You always do it at the worst times! Did you learn anything at all?"

Taken aback, Serena released her grip on Aria. There was subdued anger on Aria's face. It cut Serena to the core without another word. For a moment, the two of them stood there in silence.

A passing car broke the silence. Aria made another exasperated sigh. She looked disgusted with herself.

"Fine," she said. "Come on. Now. We don't have to go far."

"Wait, what? Really?"

"You're not going to give me any other choice, are you?"

"Um…"

Serena bit her lip. Aria rolled her eyes.

"It's what you wanted, isn't it?" said Aria. She poked her head out of the alley and looked both ways, then beckoned Serena to follow. "Come on."

* * *

The next several minutes passed in excruciating silence as Aria wordlessly led the way through several dimly-lit alleys, cutting a labyrinthine path through one of Lumiose City's most upscale shopping districts. Serena recognized the place from the few brief glimpses she got of it as they ducked behind building after building, although she was not certain when she ever would have had a reason to visit the place. She certainly had not been there on any of her delivery routes for Meyer. There was no chance that anyone who shopped here was in the market for ancient refurbished electronics.

Another back alley ejected them onto a relatively quiet street. Once again, the place seemed oddly familiar, but yet not at all. Aria checked in all directions, then led Serena across the street and into yet another alley, this one nothing more than a particularly narrow gap between two buildings. There was barely enough room to walk straight, the sides of the two buildings only inches from Serena's shoulders. There was a modern concrete façade on one side and old, dirty, drab brick on the other.

Aria stopped and knelt down in front of a hatch on the side of the brick building. After checking both directions one last time, she opened it. Serena could see nothing inside. Whatever lay beyond was completely black.

"In here," Aria whispered. Before Serena could protest, Aria crawled inside. With the rest of her body invisible, the gesture she made urging Serena to follow looked like a single arm reaching out to her from the darkness.

Serena dropped to her knees and stuck her head inside. She saw nothing. The air inside the hatch was stale. The characteristic smell of a damp, musty cellar hung heavy in the air. She hesitated to go any farther.

"Hurry!" Aria whispered. Serena could not see her at all, but only hear that she was beside her. "Careful not to hit your head!"

Not entirely willing, Serena crawled inside. The surface beneath her was rough and solid, and felt very dirty. As soon as her feet crossed the threshold, Aria shut the hatch behind her, leaving them in total darkness.

A moment later, there was a scratching noise followed by a whiff of brimstone and a burst of orange light. Serena turned her head and saw Aria holding a lit match between the tips of her fingers.

"Here," said Aria. "Quickly."

Aria held the match out to Serena. Hesitant due to the risk of burning herself, Serena awkwardly took it, then tried to hold it so that the flame was as far from her fingertips as possible.

There was far too much for Serena to take in during the few precious seconds of light. They were in a crawlspace beneath a building. They knelt on a rough concrete slab covered in dust and dirt, the old building's crumbling foundation. Above their heads, cobwebs hung between the beams which undoubtedly supported the floor. Pipes which spanned from the floor above to the ground below cast long, spindly shadows in the dancing light.

Behind them, Aria slid a rusty iron bar between two rungs on the hatch, a makeshift yet undoubtedly effective lock. A moment later, Serena winced as the creeping flame descended to her fingertips, and she dropped the match. The flame flickered for a moment before it snuffed out of existence. They were left in the dark again, now accompanied by a strong scent of smoke.

"Sorry," said Serena.

"No worries," said Aria. "We should be safe now, as long as we weren't followed."

"Who would follow you to a place like this?" said Serena. "What _is_ this place?"

"You'll see once we go up," said Aria.

"Up?"

"There's an entrance to the first floor on the other side. I'll show you."

"I can't see a thing," said Serena.

"Me neither," said Aria. "Not yet, anyway. Give your eyes a couple of minutes to adjust. It's not actually as dark as it seems."

"Can't you just light another match?"

"It's pretty hard to crawl while holding one," said Aria. "Trust me, I've tried. Besides, my supply is running low as it is."

"Your supply?"

"I've only got a few left in the box."

"Can't you just, you know, buy some more?"

"I wish I could."

"What? You're rich!"

"Well, not exactly."

"You're the Kalos Queen!"

"Yes, I am," said Aria. "And you see where I am now. See _metaphorically,_ anyway."

"I-"

Serena bit her tongue and held it between her teeth. Her face flushed with warmth. Shame washed over her. She had no place talking about Aria's fortune. She kept quiet. So did Aria.

A minute or two passed. Serena heard shuffling sounds as Aria undoubtedly began to move in the darkness. She squinted. A few feet away, she could just barely discern the sight of Aria's hands and face.

"Where are you going?" said Serena. "I still can't really see you."

"I guess it takes some practice, doesn't it?" said Aria. "Here."

Serena heard Aria approach, the shuffling drawing nearer.

"I can see you, at least," said Aria. "The white stripes on your sweater make it easy."

"Can't we just use our Pokémon for light or something?" said Serena.

"There isn't enough room down here," said Aria. "Delphox is too tall. If I called her out, she'd hit her head immediately. Pretty hard, actually. We learned that one the hard way, no pun intended. Poké Ball physics are weird like that."

"Hmm."

"Here," said Aria. "I don't want to surprise you. It's just me, not a monster."

Serena felt Aria's hand come in contact with the sleeve of her sweater.

"Can you find my arm?" said Aria.

"You mean with my hand?"

"Yes. The idea is that you place your hand on me and I lead the way."

"Oh. Um, okay."

Tentative, Serena reached for where it seemed Aria's arm should be. Her first attempt yielded nothing but air. She found it on her second try. She felt the smooth fabric of Aria's shirt.

"Alright, now try to find my back," said Aria. "You can keep your hand there, and we'll crawl together."

What followed was an ordeal. Serena awkwardly slid her hand up Aria's arm and onto her back. That was the easy part. Crawling in the dark in sync with Aria with one hand on her back was the hard part. It took a couple of minutes for the two of them to cross to the other side of the crawlspace.

When they stopped, Serena felt Aria reach upward, and she heard a lock turn. Then, her hand fell from Aria's back as Aria pushed upward and knelt fully upright, suddenly with enough space to do so.

There was light from above. It was dim, but it was enough to see. Serena watched as Aria climbed out of the hatch and pulled herself up onto the first floor. Serena shuffled over to the hatch and knelt upright. She found Aria standing before her, offering a hand again. Serena accepted it, and she stepped up into the building.

While Aria closed the hatch behind them, Serena took a few steps forward. She emerged from what seemed to be a utility closet, passing by what appeared to be a furnace and some kind of pump. The building was in total darkness save for the dim shafts of street light peeking in through the bare windows, and in silence aside from their footsteps. The sound of their steps echoed. The building was abandoned, seemingly completely empty of anything at all.

Serena wandered toward the windows, the wooden floor gently creaking beneath her steps. She walked as slowly and delicately as she could. For some reason, it felt like a terrible idea to make any noise.

She stopped several steps short of the window and gazed at the street outside. The old building was badly out of place, a single crusty old relic from another era remaining in an otherwise modern district. That wasn't what drew Serena's attention, though. It was the signpost standing on the sidewalk in front of the building. She read the sign. Her jaw dropped.

_Arietta School of Dance_

Serena spun around and saw Aria standing near the entrance the room, her hands folded behind her back, watching her.

"This is your old dance school, isn't it?" said Serena.

"It is," said Aria. "Or more accurately, it was. It's long since abandoned now."

"What are you doing here, then?"

"Hiding," said Aria. "And with that in mind, please stay clear of the windows. I would put up curtains if I had them, but it would blow my cover. This place is supposed to be abandoned, after all."

Serena took another look out the window and then hurried toward Aria. Aria stepped out of the room and beckoned for Serena to follow. She led them into another room in the rear of the building. It was much smaller, and much darker. There were no windows.

But unlike the other rooms in the building, there were objects in it. In the faint light, Serena could not determine what they were.

"I would offer you a seat, but there isn't one, really," said Aria. "Feel free to pick your favorite spot on the floor."

"What is this?" said Serena.

"It was once a closet," said Aria. "It's my room now, more or less."

"Are you _living _here?"

"For the time being, yes."

"Are you serious?"

"Unfortunately."

Serena grasped at the empty air, momentarily at a loss.

"...what _happened?"_ she asked.

"You probably could have guessed this much, but it's complicated," said Aria.

A terrible thought occurred to Serena.

"Did… did _I _do this to you?"

"No," said Aria. "I'm sure you can guess who is responsible for it, though."

"Palermo?"

"Naturally."

"What did she do?"

"It's a long story," said Aria. She leaned over and picked up some kind of large object, manipulating it with her hands. She handed it to Serena. "You might as well sit. Here. You can use this as a cushion."

Serena took the lumpy object from Aria. It was a scratchy emergency blanket, made from some sort of rough fabric.

Opposite her, Aria sat, leaning her back against the wall. Serena placed the folded blanket on the floor and did the same.

As she sat, her foot bumped into another lumpy object. Aria responded to the sound of it moving.

"My bed," she said. "An old sleeping bag."

"How did you end up like this?" said Serena. "What did she do?"

"She found out about what I did in Monego City," said Aria. "I don't know how, but honestly, it was foolish of me to ever think that she wouldn't. There were a million ways the information could have made it back to her to tell her something was amiss."

"I didn't tell her," said Serena.

"I know you didn't," said Aria. "She told me about your encounter."

Serena's heart seized with fear.

"She did?" she said.

"Yes. I don't think she knew then. Not the specifics, anyway. I do think she knew something had happened. Your ride with her piqued her curiosity."

"I swear I didn't tell her anything! I told her I didn't know where you were!"

"I know. Sometimes, though, what you _don't _say reveals everything."

Serena's heart accelerated and beat erratically as a ball of dread settled into her stomach.

"I… didn't mean to. I really, really didn't."

"I know you meant well," said Aria. "You don't know her, though. She knows how to read people like books."

"I didn't want to hurt you!" said Serena. "Even though it doesn't look like it, I swear I didn't! I never wanted to! I made a ton of mistakes, and I wish I could take them back, but I can't! I've been trying to find you so I could properly apologize!"

"You don't need to apologize to me," said Aria.

"Are you kidding?! Of _course_ I need to apologize to you! Have you forgotten everything that happened?"

"You don't need to apologize for Palermo's actions. She did this, not you."

"But-"

"None of this would have happened if not for her," said Aria. "If she hadn't wanted to lure you under her influence in the first place, I never would have tried to lure you under mine, and you never would have become involved in any of this."

"That still doesn't excuse anything I did!"

"You're far too hard on yourself, you know."

"I deserve it!"

"No you don't."

"Why…"

Serena clenched her fists. She resisted the urge to beat them on the floor.

"Why aren't you mad at me?!"

"It's tough for me to be angry at anyone other than the woman who is actively ruining my life."

_"I_ hurt you, too!"

Aria paused.

"Do you _want_ me to yell at you?" she said.

"Maybe!" said Serena. "I just want _anyone _to give me what I deserve! I screwed up beyond my wildest imagination and everyone in the whole world has shrugged it off like it was nothing while I feel like I deserve the death penalty! The guilt I feel is driving me insane!"

"You don't deserve to be punished," said Aria.

"Why not?"

"Because it's clear that you're punishing yourself enough already."

"Why does everyone keep saying that?!"

"I would assume that's because it's obvious."

"It isn't obvious to me!"

"Nothing ever is."

Serena recoiled as though she had been slapped in the face. She sat there for several seconds in silence, astonished.

Aria changed the subject and continued.

"Palermo played you," she said. "Whatever you said or didn't say to her, she got enough information from you to point her in the right direction. It took her a while, but she figured out what I did. When she did, she was furious, and she responded in kind."

"What did she do?"

"She took everything."

"But how can she do that? How can she get away with that?"

"Palermo isn't just my mentor. She's my _agent. _That's how she has so much control over me."

"How does that give her the power to leave you like _this?_ And why would she even do that? Doesn't she rely on you?"

"She didn't directly cause me to end up here," said Aria. "I did this to myself. I escaped from her. I ran away. I chose this."

"But… why here?"

"Mostly because I have nothing and this was the only place I could break into, but partly because it's such an obvious hiding spot that she would never try to look here. Refuge in audacity, you know? And also, legally she can't access this place. It belongs to the estate of Madame Arietta. I'm not supposed to be here either, but beggars can't be choosers."

"Does this place even have electricity?"

"Not right now, no," said Aria. "No running water, either. All the utilities are shut off."

"How can you live here?"

"It's a roof over my head and a lock on the door."

"But, can't you, you know… go literally anywhere else?"

"No. She took everything."

"How? What does that even mean?"

"It's part of Palermo's trap. She preys on talented young girls with gullible parents. She offers to take the girl under her wing and teach her everything, handle everything, no trouble at all. She'll even serve as the girl's agent. Just think of all the connections she has! What an opportunity! How could you say no? So, bewitched by her fame, the parents sign a contract they don't understand that puts their daughter, and all of her assets, under Palermo's control."

"Is that legal?"

"Of course it is," said Aria. "She's armed to the teeth with lawyers. The contract is intentionally worded to deceive while remaining within the confines of the law."

"So she has all of your money?"

"She does now. It's not the first time she's taken it. She's used the threat of taking it as a way to control me in the past. The promise of instant bankruptcy with no legal recourse is a rather effective deterrent against her victims leaking all of this to the press. That, and she has a veritable army of cronies on her side at most major media outlets. The story would never get printed."

Serena remained silent. Aria continued.

"So, she found out about how I summoned you and your friends to her penthouse in Monego City and warned you about her trap. She retaliated by confiscating everything I owned. She left me with nothing to lose, so when there was a momentary lapse in her surveillance of me, I escaped. I've been hiding here since, trying to regroup."

"Don't you have that yacht? Why not go there?"

"I can't get there," said Aria. "I'm completely broke. That's why you found me working at a café under a false identity, so that I could earn enough money to find a way out of Lumiose. The trouble is that most of my pay has to go toward food and such, and also toward additional disguises."

"Aria…"

"It's dreadful, isn't it?"

"I'm so sorry."

"At least it's relatively easy to remain hidden in a place as big as Lumiose," said Aria. "Palermo has eyes all over the city, but I was already aware of that. That's why I took different routes to and from work every day, to confuse anyone watching. It worked well until you got involved."

Serena cringed.

"I'm sorry. I didn't realize-"

Aria laughed.

"And your friend isn't much of a detective, by the way," she said. "I submitted my resignation as soon as I saw her in the café."

Serena groaned.

"Ugh, that was so dumb. I can't believe it actually cost you your _job."_

"It was my choice to leave," said Aria. "It was going to happen eventually. I can't stay in one place for too long. It makes it too easy to get caught. Unfortunately, you two were more likely to get me caught than anything else. You're not very stealthy."

"I tried my best. Korrina… may have tried her best, too."

"When you're on the run all the time, you become familiar with the feeling of being watched. It's easy to tell when you're being followed. You're persistent, though."

"Too much for my own good, apparently," said Serena.

"Kind of, yes," said Aria. "I was avoiding you for your safety as much as mine. I didn't want to get you involved in any of this. You've probably been under observation since you arrived in the city, though."

Serena shuddered.

"Seriously?"

"Unfortunately, yes."

"That's… a pretty unpleasant thought."

"Palermo is willing to do anything to get what she wants, no matter how awful it is."

In the darkness, Serena simply nodded.

"I didn't want to get you involved in this for fear of what she might do to you," said Aria.

"What can she do?" said Serena. "She doesn't have any control over me. I didn't sign anything with her."

"She can drag your name through the mud in the press, for one," said Aria. "You are mostly immune to her typical tactics, though. No offense, but you don't have anything she would consider to be worth taking. Not yet, anyway."

"What do you mean _not yet?"_

"I hope you don't have to find out."

"Oh, come on!" said Serena. "Not more of your cryptic answers!"

"Palermo plays a long game, so to speak," said Aria. "She has her claws in everything. There's no way of knowing precisely what she's involved in at any given moment. She's always preparing to exert her influence anywhere she may need it. I know it's a vague answer, but she's impossible to fully predict."

"Do you think she's going to come after me?"

"If she discovers that you've been searching for me, she most likely will. And if she discovers that you've found me, she certainly will."

Serena's shoulders sank. She deflated in her seat. A protracted silence followed.

"Is there anything I can do to help you?" said Serena.

"I don't think so," said Aria. "Nothing short of a blank check is going to be able to help me now."

Serena cringed at the mention of money.

"I wish I could help," she said.

"I wish anyone could help," said Aria. "I have nowhere to turn, though. I have no real friends. Palermo estranged me from my family. I haven't seen or even heard from my parents in years. I'm all alone."

Serena heard Aria shift in her seat.

"But… it's nice having you here with me, for now," said Aria.

"It-"

Serena stopped. Aria spoke again.

"I completely understand if this hasn't been a pleasant experience for you. This is all pretty terrible, actually. I'm sure this wasn't what you had in mind when you were seeking me."

"Well, no," said Serena. "I'm still really glad to finally get a chance to talk to you, though."

"I'm not sure why you wanted to see me so much," said Aria. "I definitely would have understood if you never wanted to see me again."

"How could you even think I wanted that?" said Serena. "I thought I made it totally clear how much I wanted to see you again!"

Aria laughed.

"What part of you throwing yourself off my yacht was supposed to tell me that?"

"Not _that!"_ said Serena. "I mean my messages to you. Well, some of them, at least."

"Messages?"

"My emails to you!"

"What emails?"

Serena's blood ran cold. Her heart stopped, and she realized she was the greatest fool to ever live. A sickening sensation trickled down her spine and landed in her stomach. Her eyes went wide as she grabbed her head with both hands.

"Oh no…" she said.

"What?" said Aria. "What are you talking about?"

Her head still in her hands, Serena rose to her feet. Her pulse quickened.

_"Oh no, no, no no no no no…"_

"Wait, did you-"

Panic set in.

"I- I didn't- Oh no, I- I'm so sorry, I- I-"

In the faint light, Serena saw the horrible realization dawn on Aria. Aria clasped both of her hands over her open mouth.

"I- I told her everything!" said Serena. "I thought it was you!"

Aria made a muffled, indecipherable sound.

"I thought you didn't respond because you were angry with me! But she- I can't- How? Why? Why am I so _stupid?!"_

Serena sank to her knees and covered her face.

"How could I fall for that? What is wrong with me?! How could I let her trick me again?"

Serena uncovered her face and saw that Aria had covered hers. Only her mouth was visible.

"I- I'm so sorry, Aria. I'm so, _so_ sorry! I was so dumb! I had no idea, I-"

Aria moved her hands from her eyes to her mouth again and looked up at Serena. For lack of a better idea, Serena reached toward Aria. She placed a hand on Aria's shoulder. For a moment, she expected Aria to push her away.

But instead, when that moment passed, Serena jumped in surprise as Aria threw herself into her arms. She placed her head on top of Serena's shoulder and pulled her into a tight embrace. Serena froze.

"It's… it's okay…" Aria said, her voice a shaky whisper. "I know you didn't mean to. She tricked us both."

Neither spoke for some time. They knelt there together, Aria sniffling and Serena trying to breathe, or even to think. It was only after quite some time that Serena realized she had not returned Aria's embrace. Her arms remained limp by her sides.

Just as she raised her arms, they both heard a horrifying sound.

It was the sound of an engine slowing to a stop outside.

Aria sprang up from the floor and ran out of the room. Serena scrambled to her feet, slow to follow. By the time she was up, Aria had returned, with panic in her eyes.

_"It's her!"_

Serena's heart lurched and then pounded even harder. She ran back to the front room with Aria. Through the window, she saw the very same limousine which had picked her up from the front steps of the building on a hot summer day months ago.

"We've got to run!" said Serena. "Now!"

"There's nowhere to go!" said Aria. "I don't have anywhere else to hide!"

"Anywhere is better than here right now!"

"We can't even get out of here! Look! She's not alone! She'll have all the exits covered!"

Aria pointed out the window. Serena looked and saw Monsieur Pierre exit the limousine. He swiftly proceeded to another door, undoubtedly to open it for Palermo.

"Is there a back door?" said Serena.

"No! Only the front door and the crawlspace!"

Serena grimaced. She clenched one fist and gripped her bag tighter with her other hand.

"Then we'll have to fight our way out," she said.

"Are you serious?" said Aria.

"What other choice do we have?"

"Do you have any idea how strong Palermo is?"

The honest answer was no, but Serena did not have the time to consider it. Instead, she saw a flash of light and then heard a jingling sound as Pierre called out his Klefki and headed for the front door.

Serena pulled a Poké Ball from her bag.

"Get ready," she said.

A key slid into the lock. It rattled. Then, it turned. The door opened.

Pierre entered, holding a lantern. Klefki floated beside him. He surveyed the room. As soon as his eyes landed on Serena, she threw the ball.

"Pancham, Arm Thrust!"

Pancham erupted from the ball and went flying across the room toward the door. Pierre exclaimed and then ducked. Klefki went flying over his head out the door as Pancham landed a direct hit.

Pancham landed in front of Pierre and glared up at him. Both shared a moment of visible recognition and confusion. Serena interrupted it.

"Dark Pulse!"

Pancham complied and prepared to fire. Pierre hurried out the door and out of the way. From outside, he called an order as he scrambled down the front steps.

"Light Screen!"

Klefki vibrated, producing a jingling sound as it generated a shield. The Dark Pulse scattered off of it, only a minimal portion of it reaching its intended target.

Aria threw a Poké Ball of her own.

"Delphox, Mystical Fire!"

Aria's Delphox appeared and quickly summoned a ring of flame, then shot it out the open door. The ring closed as it passed through the Light Screen, much more of the attack breaking through. It hit Klefki, who went reeling through the air across the street before recovering.

Pancham ran out the door and stood on the top step. Serena approached the open door, with Aria and her Delphox behind her. Pierre spoke.

"She is here, madame," he said. "She has an accomplice."

"And I suspect we know who," said Palermo. Her sardonic tone made Serena's skin crawl. "Why don't we go properly greet our guest?"

"Indeed, madame."

Serena stepped forward. She emerged from the door and saw Palermo step past Monsieur Pierre. Their eyes met, and Palermo came to a halt. She folded her arms and smirked.

"Well, well, my dear," said Palermo. "Isn't this a charming reunion? It seems you simply cannot keep yourself from this place! Of course, I understand why."

Palermo pursed her lips in a satisfied smile. She looked expectantly at Serena. Serena clenched her fists, her teeth gritted. She trembled with anger, glaring daggers at Palermo. She said nothing. She knew this game all too well. Palermo had the conversational upper hand.

"Nothing to say?" said Palermo. "I would have expected more from you, but perhaps you exhausted all your words on Aria. I know you can be excruciatingly long-winded under the proper circumstances."

Serena fumed, her breath unsteady as she inhaled and exhaled sharply through her nose. She tried to force herself to ignore Palermo's words. She needed an escape route. There had to be a way out. There always was. She had seen Ash escape from far worse countless times.

"I understand that you are not particularly interested in making deals with me," said Palermo, "but in good faith, I have to make an offer to you before we do what I fear is inevitable. I am perfectly aware that Aria is hiding here. I am also aware that you intend to stop me, and that you are not capable of doing so. As such, to avoid an unnecessary fiasco, I offer to you these terms - You stand aside and permit me to retrieve Aria. I conveniently forget that you were ever involved in this affair and permit you to go on with the rest of your life as though nothing ever happened. We both wash our hands of this mess. It would be a mutually beneficial arrangement. Do you accept?"

"You will _not_ take Aria," said Serena.

"My, that was quick," said Palermo. "Such a pity it has to come to this, but I suppose it can't be helped."

Palermo pulled a Poké Ball from her handbag. Pancham spit out the leaf in his mouth.

With no flair or fanfare whatsoever, Palermo pressed the button on the ball, and it opened with a flash of light.

"Florges, Moonblast."

Palermo's Florges materialized on the sidewalk, her elegant figure and plume of red flowers towering beside Palermo. With a lazy, almost uninterested sort of grace, she reached toward the night sky and summoned a ball of shimmering white energy.

"Dodge!" yelled Serena.

It was no use. Florges fired, and Pancham was caught at nearly point-blank range. Serena tried to run for the door but only managed to get one foot inside and cover her eyes before the blast hit. She felt the heat of the attack lash against her skin as the excess energy splashed off the building around her and evaporated.

The light faded, and Pancham lay there on the front step, blown over on his back. He was stunned, motionless aside from a vague twitch of his eyes. He did not get up.

Both furious and horrified, Serena returned Pancham to his ball. She reached for another.

"Sylveon, Swift!"

Sylveon burst from her ball and summoned a swarm of stars. She landed on the front step where Pancham had lain moments before. She fired at Florges.

But the stars bounced off of Klefki's Light Screen.

Surprised, Sylveon backed up a step. Klefki came floating up beside Florges.

"Reflect," Pierre commanded.

Klefki shuddered and made a jingling sound again, producing another barrier.

"I'm afraid you're going to need substantially more firepower than that, dear," said Palermo. "Although, it appears the odds are not in your favor in the first place. Two against one is hardly a fair fight, but it seems my protégé has chosen a rather inopportune time to vanish for you once again."

At that, Aria and her Delphox burst through the door and joined Serena on the front steps.

"Alas, I was mistaken!" said Palermo. "Aria, I assumed that you had momentarily returned to your senses and chosen not to participate in such a futile struggle. I know I taught you better than this. Please show some restraint where Serena cannot. Your time here is finished. You are cornered. You cannot win this fight. I implore you not to force me to resort to using force. It is completely unnecessary."

"Delphox, Fire Blast!"

Palermo frowned.

"Moonblast."

"Sylveon, Protect!"

Sylveon jumped in front of Delphox and summoned a shield. Delphox and Florges both prepared their attacks. They fired.

There was a blinding flash of heat and light as the attacks collided. Delphox's Fire Blast was smothered, and Sylveon absorbed the brunt of the blow. Her shield held. Defiant, she stood there in front of Florges, unscathed.

"Aria, this is senseless," said Palermo. "You can end this charade. I am asking you one final time. Please, give up this useless struggle."

"Why do you think I have any reason to listen to you?" said Aria. "You've already taken everything from me!"

"Surely even you can't possibly be naïve enough to believe that," said Palermo.

Aria clenched her teeth and recoiled from Palermo's statement, backing up an inch or two. Serena's heart missed a beat, and a cold sensation shot down her spine.

Palermo, with her arms confidently folded, advanced and stood at the foot of the front steps. Sylveon glared at her. Behind her, Florges remained aloof on the sidewalk, appearing to be utterly uninterested in the proceedings.

"Don't be foolish, Aria," said Palermo. "I understand completely why you wish to resist, but I also know that you're capable of understanding that there is no escape. This is futile, my dear. Quite frankly, I am appalled that you would even attempt such a _coup__._ You never would have done such a thing before! But then again, perhaps _someone else_ has been a poor influence on you."

Palermo's gaze settled on Serena. Serena's knuckles went white from clenching her fists harder than ever before. Palermo merely stared at Serena for a few seconds before shaking her head and returning her attention to Aria.

"Really, I don't know what you see in her," said Palermo. "What could you possibly see that would lead you to put your faith in her, and her alone, to fight on your behalf?"

"You saw something in me!" said Serena. "I know you wouldn't have wasted your time trying to convince me to work with you if you didn't think I had potential! And that was _before_ I really knew Aria!"

Palermo nodded.

"All true," she said. "But as I am certain you understand by now, I had great plans for you and your future. Aria, on the other hand, intends to use you for a different purpose. She seems intent on allying herself with you as a means to destroy her present and her future, both of which I have given her, and both of which I own now and into perpetuity. She intends to throw it all away. A wastebasket comes to mind."

"Don't insult her!" said Aria. "She and I both know more than enough about you to put you behind bars for the rest of your life!"

"And you and I both know that I have spent my entire life cultivating a network of relationships with the media and the law designed to prevent such a thing from ever happening," said Palermo. "Terribly sorry, dearies, but time is up."

Palermo placed one foot on the bottom step. Her brow tightened.

"I won't pretend any longer that you have a choice in the matter. We have obligations to fulfill. You are coming with me. The only thing you get to decide is whether you do so quietly and reasonably or whether you risk both property damage and injury to you and your Pokémon. You may either stand down, or I shall remove you by force."

A tense silence of a few seconds followed. No one moved. Serena's heart thundered in her chest. Her eyes darted about, searching for an escape. There had to be a way, but she could not find it. They were cornered.

"Well?" said Palermo. "What will it be?"

Aria's face gripped with fear. Her jaw tight, she lowered her eyes. For an instant, Serena's heart was set to sink.

"Delphox, Fire Blast!"

Aria grabbed Serena by the wrist and pulled her through the door. Serena was barely able to speak to give Sylveon a command.

"Sylveon, Moonblast! Then run!"

Chaos followed. Serena and Aria fell through the open door and tripped over each other, both falling to the floor. A blast of blinding light and vicious heat swelled behind them. Serena felt footsteps both familiar and unfamiliar trod over her as she struggled to her feet. Sylveon and Delphox trampled over her and Aria as they scrambled inside.

Aria was the first to her feet. She slammed the door shut and turned the lock.

"Delphox, melt the lock!"

Aria's Delphox ignited the tip of her wand and inserted it into the keyhole. Then, there was a white jet of flame. A second later, the doorknob and all the metal fixtures surrounding it were left red-hot and bent, sagging under their own weight. Smoke wafted from the door.

Aria began to run toward the rear of the room. Serena followed. She spoke, and both of them stopped in their tracks.

"Are we trapped in here now?" said Serena. "What if this place catches on fire?!"

"I don't know! I'm not thinking that far ahead!"

"We can't go out the crawlspace, can we? Can we go through a window?"

"Maybe? I-"

Aria was interrupted by an earsplitting crack. The front door glowed a deep indigo, then gave way and shot splinters in all directions as it was ripped from its hinges. The door shot forward into the room, heading directly toward them. Sylveon jumped in the way and fired a Swift at it, the array of stars all becoming lodged in the door before it slammed into her.

Serena gasped. The door went tumbling, cartwheeling into another room before crashing into a wall. Sylveon skidded across the floor before crashing into another wall, limp.

Serena dropped to her knees and scooped Sylveon up in her arms. Before she could determine how badly Sylveon was hurt, Aria pulled her arm and yanked her into the next room. A moment later, she, Aria, and Delphox all went silent. Delphox snuffed out the flame on her wand.

The entire opposite wall was one gigantic mirror, spanning from ceiling to floor. The entrance of the building was visible in the mirror near the corner of the room. A ghostly figure appeared in it. Wreathed in indigo light, eyes glowing like sickly stars, Florges levitated through the open hole where the door used to be. Instantly, Serena felt a piercing ache right between her eyes.

Florges hovered there, deathly still. Palermo appeared behind her, ascending the front steps. As silently as she could, Serena reached into her bag. She withdrew two Poké Balls from it.

Aria glanced at her, her lips parted. Serena held a finger up to her own lips, urging Aria to remain silent. She inhaled a long, deep, shaky breath.

Then, she opened both balls at the same time. Sylveon vanished. Her own Delphox appeared. Florges' head snapped in their direction, and her eyes glowed brighter still.

Serena's Delphox materialized beside Aria's. Serena once again shushed Aria, this time holding a finger up to both her lips and Aria's, a fierce glare on her face. Aria complied. Despite the lack of words, she knew Aria had many, many questions.

Especially because of what happened next.

Otherwise motionless, Serena's Delphox shifted her eyes toward the wall of mirrors. She caught the reflection of Florges' eyes. A moment later, she left the ground, her own eyes shining bright, her entire body wreathed in a deep indigo light. Aria's Delphox looked at her agape, remaining firmly on the ground.

Serena's Delphox hovered and floated into the doorway. She and Florges stared each other down. Serena felt a pull in the pit of her stomach, not unlike the feeling of a roller coaster forcing her in an unexpected direction.

Delphox raised her wand. The flame at the tip erupted to life. Palermo stepped up next to Florges. Seemingly amused, she appraised the new competitor.

_"Well, _it seems you've kept yourself busier than I anticipated," said Palermo. "Learned a few new tricks during your self-imposed exile, did you?"

The pit of Serena's stomach dropped again. Did Palermo know? How could she? It made no sense. It made her head hurt worse than ever.

"Such a pity that your friend is far too weak to be able to help you," said Palermo.

Still uncertain, Serena watched Delphox hover in the doorway, motionless. She wasn't certain how she knew it, but something was amiss. Something wasn't right.

Delphox's eyes flashed with light. Then, both Serena and Aria covered their mouths as Aria's Delphox rose into the air.

Unlike her doppelganger, Aria's Delphox looked wildly uncomfortable with the development. Her eyes were not aglow. She was not in control. For a moment, Serena wanted to panic. Was Florges doing it? Were they about to be attacked from behind their own defenses?

Before she could form a coherent thought in her head, everything went dead silent. Her sight vanished. All of her senses momentarily arrested, a single, silent word echoed through her empty head.

_Go._

Serena's senses returned. She knew. She grabbed Aria by the wrist and pulled her back against the wall, remaining out of sight.

Aria's Delphox, continuing to float against her will, hovered through the air and was shunted into place beside Serena and Aria.

Aria looked at her Delphox. They exchanged a wordless glance, then Aria looked at Serena, mimicking the fear and confusion in her Delphox's face. With a single, silent nod, Serena tried her best to communicate to them that it was okay.

"Shall we?" said Palermo.

Serena's Delphox shrieked and flew forward, leaving a trail of flame in her wake which soon evaporated into thin air. There was a flash of heat, and of orange light mixed with indigo. A rush of hot air blew through the building.

In the mirror, Serena saw Florges' Moonblast ensnared in midair, trapped in the constricting circlet of Delphox's Mystical Fire. The two combatants rose slowly higher into the air, approaching the ceiling as they struggled for dominance, each attempting to exert their will and force their attack through.

Aria pulled back from Serena's grip, but Serena did not let go. Aria responded by grabbing Serena's arm in turn.

"This whole place is going to come down if those attacks hit!" said Aria.

The floor rumbled beneath their feet. The panes of glass rattled in the windows. Dust fell from the ceiling.

"We need to go! _Now!"_ said Aria.

Despite the single, crystal clear word that lingered in her head, Serena remained rooted to the spot. She wanted to see. She was certain Delphox could do it. It would only take a little more energy, just a bit more effort to force Florges' attack back, and when that happened, they would surely win.

But the turn in the tide she was waiting for did not come. Instead, the giant mirror along the wall cracked right along her line of sight, then splintered in countless directions like a jagged web. Then, many things happened all at once.

Aria's Delphox, pulled by a force beyond her control, was dragged into the fray. Flying through the air with a roar, she shot a Fire Blast at Florges. Palermo's exclamation of confusion was drowned out by the ensuing explosion of fire and light. A deafening sound assaulted Serena's ears as she and Aria sprinted out of the room. Every pane of glass in the building shattered, shards of the giant mirror chasing their heels as they ran.

They entered a vacant room in the rear of the building, empty aside from a few fragments of the freshly-destroyed window on the floor. Without a word or even a glance, they both ran for the open window hole and jumped through it, first Aria and then Serena.

For the brief, fleeting moment she was in the air, Serena was surprised to see the ground farther down than she expected, a drop of almost a full story instead of a few feet. Before she had a chance to rationalize any of it or even scream, she tucked in her limbs and prepared to roll, an instinctive reaction from far too many close calls on her adventures with Ash.

She grunted as she landed on rough asphalt and rolled to a stop, crashing into several trash cans. She hurried to her feet, suddenly realizing that she had not landed with Aria.

From inside the building, there was another flash of light followed by a crash. From a short distance away, there was a cry for help. Serena turned and saw Monsieur Pierre forcing Aria away, holding her arms in place behind her back. Unable to reach her bag, it slipped from her shoulders and dragged on the ground while her hands squirmed uselessly in Pierre's grip.

_"Serena!"_

Serena ran after Pierre.

_"Stop!"_ she yelled.

As soon as the words left her mouth, Serena stopped in her tracks. Klefki floated down from above, stopping directly in front of her face. Serena pulled back a few inches. Klefki jingled its keys at her.

Pierre took notice. He turned back and faced Serena. Aria continued to struggle in his grip. He did not appear agitated. Rather, he appeared apologetic, almost mournful as she spoke.

"Forgive me, mademoiselle, but in the interest of the Kalos Queen I must halt your advance."

"Let her go _right now!"_ said Serena.

"My apologies, mademoiselle, but I cannot allow that," said Pierre. "It is in the Kalos Queen's best interests that she comply and come with me."

Pierre turned to leave, forcing Aria along with him. Klefki vibrated.

"I will _not_ let you take her!"

Serena grit her teeth, expecting Klefki to strike. She reached into her bag for her final Poké Ball. Before she could remove it from her bag, it opened on its own. Ribombee burst out of it and materialized in front of Klefki. Surprised, Klefki flinched and stopped vibrating. Ribombee hummed. Serena raised her hand to call an attack.

"Mademoiselle!" said Pierre. "I implore you to cease this at once!"

Serena had no idea what to do. Never, not even once, had she ever before attempted to battle with Ribombee. She knew none of her moves. She wasn't sure she had ever seen Ribombee _use_ a move.

But in her moment of hesitation, Ribombee conjured a ball of what appeared to be pollen and fluff. She shot it right into Klefki's face. Dust billowed everywhere, and Klefki swerved through the air, bouncing off the building, the ground, and other stray objects in the alley as it sputtered and coughed uncontrollably.

Before Serena could register what had happened, Ribombee zoomed away in pursuit of Monsieur Pierre. Before she could say or do anything, Ribombee prepared to strike again.

"_Mademoiselle!"_

Ribombee fired another ball of pollen. Pierre gasped and gagged, staggering to his knees. Visibly holding her breath and squinting in the ensuing cloud of dust, Aria broke free and ran toward Serena, with Ribombee right behind her.

Moments later, while both Klefki and Pierre continued to sputter and cough, both Serena's and Aria's Delphox flew out the open window and landed in the alley. Behind them, an indigo glow approached.

Aria pulled her bag back onto her shoulder, reached into it, and threw another ball. Aromatisse appeared again.

"Aromatisse, Skuntank fragrance!" said Aria. Immediately she turned to Serena and began to push her the opposite way down the alley. _"Run!"_

Aromatisse let out a visibly heinous puff of gas. Serena did not stick around to experience the smell for herself. Immediately heeding Aria's words, she recalled Ribombee and her Delphox to their balls and ran. Aria did the same with Aromatisse and her Delphox. Moments later, they emerged onto the street.

Serena looked both ways. It was mostly empty. She turned back and saw Aria looking around frantically, panic in her eyes.

_"Where are we supposed to go now?!"_ said Aria.

Once again, Serena grabbed Aria's wrist.

"This way!" she said. She pulled Aria out into the empty street and crossed to the other side.

Continuing to pull on Aria's arm, Serena ran.

"Where are we going?" said Aria.

"The only place we _can _go!" said Serena.

Minutes passed with silence aside from heavy breaths and the clatter of footsteps on the sidewalk. At some point, Serena let go of Aria's wrist. She wasn't sure when. She remained sure that Aria was right behind her the entire way.

They crossed street after street, making their way into a more populated residential area. Their pace slowed as they weaved through the perpetual crowds gathered at the intersections, then quickened again then they turned onto a lazy lane, one with nothing but streetlamps and parked cars and lights in the windows.

Serena ran up the front steps of the familiar house and turned the knob on the door. She was relieved to find it unlocked. She threw it open, ushered Aria inside, and then hurried to close it behind them. The sound of the door slamming shut echoed through the house while Serena turned the lock and then also the deadbolt for good measure.

And when she turned around, she found Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina staring at her and Aria.


	5. The Glass Prison

Chapter Five - The Glass Prison

"Shut the curtains."

It was not the ideal way to break the ice. Serena's command went unanswered. No one heeded her words. While she hurried into the next room and moved from window to window, yanking the curtains closed as she went and struggling not to trip over herself in her haste, everyone else remained silent, staring at each other. Unspoken questions echoed all around.

Finished with the first room, Serena re-entered the foyer.

"What are you waiting for?" she said. "Hurry!"

"What's going on?" said Bonnie.

"Yeah, seriously," said Korrina. "Are you alright?"

"I believe I concur with everyone in saying that I would be much more inclined to help if I understood what was happening," said Clemont.

"We're being _followed,"_ said Serena. "We escaped from Palermo, and she's after us! We need to hide!"

"Palermo?" said Korrina. She narrowed her eyes, examining Aria. "Wait a second…"

Aria seemed to be struggling to catch her breath yet also trying to do so as silently as possible. She breathed deeply through her nose, staring down at the floor.

Korrina stepped forward. She pointed at Aria.

"You!" said Korrina. She looked at Serena as Serena proceeded into the next room, shutting all the curtains as she went. "Serena, you found her!"

"Yes, and that's why we need to hide!" said Serena. "Help me! Come on!"

No one else helped. Instead, Clemont adjusted his glasses. Bonnie took a step toward Aria, gazing up at her.

"Have we met?" said Bonnie.

Aria said nothing. She bit her lip and looked away.

"This is the girl you wanted to find?" said Clemont. "Perhaps my eyes deceive me, but if I didn't know any better I would say this is-"

Before Clemont could finish his sentence, Serena poked her head back into the room with a finger raised to her lips and a sharp glare on her face. She shushed Clemont so loudly that she practically hissed at him.

Aria met Serena's eyes. She shook her head.

"There's no point," said Aria. "They know who I am."

Serena let her shoulders slump. She rolled her eyes.

"Fine. It's _Aria,"_ she said. "So, will _somebody _please help me close the curtains?! She can't afford to be seen here!"

Serena's words were met with collective shock. Aria smiled nervously.

"Hello," said Aria. She gave everyone a bashful wave before hiding her hands behind her back.

"Are you serious?" said Clemont, looking to both Serena and Korrina for an explanation. "It really is her?"

_"Yes,"_ said Serena. "And if anyone followed us here and sees her inside, we are in more trouble than you can imagine!"

Once again, no one moved. Serena supposed it was acceptable for the moment. At least the street-facing windows were all covered.

"You're not much of a detective, are you?" said Aria, giving Korrina a furtive glance. "No offense intended."

"I just didn't think it was really you!" said Korrina. "Why would the Kalos Queen be working at a café?"

"It's a long story," said Aria.

"What happened?" said Bonnie. "You look so different!"

"That's… kind of my signature trait," said Aria.

Bonnie tilted her head.

"Well, I know I asked you before if you wanted to take care of my brother, but he's off-limits!" said Bonnie.

"Pardon?" said Aria.

"He belongs to Korrina now!" said Bonnie. "So hands off!"

Korrina laughed. Clemont groaned and covered his face with one hand.

_"Bonnie…"_

Korrina's laughter died down, and it became awkwardly quiet again.

"So, am I mistaken in my understanding that you two were in some sort of danger when you arrived?" said Clemont.

Aria exchanged a glance with Serena.

"No, you are not," said Aria. "But before I explain, I think I owe an apology to all of you. Perhaps several apologies, actually."

* * *

The next few hours were surreal to Serena. After shutting every single curtain in the house, her first concern was for Pancham and Sylveon. Uncertain if she would be able to take them to the Pokémon Center without risking being apprehended, Serena released them from their balls expecting to have to administer first aid. Instead, Ribombee burst out of her ball again and used what appeared to be the same move she used on Klefki and Monsieur Pierre. But rather than cause an explosion, the balls of pollen and fluff she conjured healed Pancham and Sylveon. They were both back on their feet within seconds, and Serena was left scratching her head.

The truly strange portion of the evening came afterward, during which Clemont prepared a pot of tea and everyone sat at the kitchen table while Aria apologized at length for everything that happened in Monego City and explained her situation in laborious detail. Throughout Aria's long monologue, Serena grew nervous at the sound of every car passing outside. She even rose from her seat several times to peek out the corner of the window. She never saw anyone or anything at all out of the ordinary.

It was after midnight when Aria finished. Clemont took Bonnie upstairs to her bed. She had long since fallen asleep with her head on the table. Korrina offered to room with Bonnie for the night, saying that Aria clearly needed some peace and a proper bed, more than willing to use a sleeping bag for the night. Aria offered to take the couch downstairs, but neither Korrina nor Clemont would hear any talk of it.

And so, Serena found herself alone with Aria in the spare bedroom. At least, as alone as they could be with all of their Pokémon. Clearly aware of who she was from a time they had worked together as volleyball partners, Sylveon ran her feelers over Aria, eliciting a ticklish laugh. Pancham, as always, pretended he was too cool to pay attention to anything going on and loitered by the door with his sunglasses over his eyes. Serena caught sight of him sneaking obvious glances at the newcomers several times. Overhead, Ribombee disrupted what would have otherwise been a tenuous silence with her constant chatter, even more excited than usual. In contrast, Aromatisse watched Ribombee's movements lazily from below with a dreamy look in her eye, as if she were on the brink of falling asleep.

On the far side of the room, both Serena's and Aria's Delphox stood before the window, pointedly struggling to start a conversation. Both of them stole occasional glances in the direction of the window even though the curtains were closed. Neither of them met each other's eyes.

Aria sat on the edge of what had once been Korrina's cot, gazing at the towers of boxes throughout the room. Serena could not even begin to imagine what Aria thought of it all. She was relieved that at least in the few weeks she had been there she had cleared several paths through the room. It was a disaster, but a contained disaster.

Aria removed the beret atop her head and placed it on the bed. Almost immediately, Ribombee landed on top of it. With her eyes closed, Aria pulled several pins from her hair. As she removed them, the tight bun atop her head unfolded and fell down to her shoulders. Tight creases and gnarled tangles covered her hair. She tried to tousle it and run her fingers through it, but her fingers got stuck on knots.

All the while, Serena tried her best not to stare. Her best was not enough to fool Aria, she discovered. Aria looked at her and answered her unspoken question.

"Yes, I've had it up like that for a while," said Aria.

Serena was quick to look away. She sat down on her own bed and busied herself with her bag.

"Oh, really?" she said. "It doesn't show."

"You don't have to lie," said Aria. "I know it looks horrible. It's inevitable when you live without running water for so long."

"You really didn't have water?"

"I did not. No electricity, either. Like I said, that place was nothing but a roof over my head and a lock on the door."

Serena pondered that for a moment.

"Wow…" she said. "So, you-"

"Haven't had a proper shower in longer than I care to admit," said Aria.

"I was going to ask if you used Delphox to stay warm at night, actually," said Serena.

"Oh. Well, yes. Heat was never a problem. There wasn't much I could do about the hard floors, though. Aromatisse did not appreciate my attempt to use her as a pillow."

Aromatisse's dreamy expression vanished. She shut her eyes and turned her nose up at Aria.

Serena frowned. Likewise, she looked away. Her eyes landed on her bag. In the empty seconds of silence, she peered into it. There were several letters inside, all bound by a rubber band. They were all from Ash.

Her heart skipped a beat. There was another letter, separate, all on its own. She reached for it, but then stopped herself.

"I probably smell horrible," Aria said, much quieter than before. She sat with her head bowed and her hands folded in her lap.

"I don't smell anything," said Serena.

"Well, that's good news," said Aria. "Aromatisse did her best to help me, and I-"

Aria stopped. There was a hitch in her voice. She inhaled a deep breath through her nose. Aromatisse looked back at Aria, her expression of disapproval replaced by a much softer look in her eyes. Aria covered her face with both hands.

"This is so embarrassing," Aria whispered.

"What do you mean?" said Serena.

Aria uncovered her face, then looked up at the ceiling and continued to speak in a strained whisper.

"I'm supposed to be the Kalos Queen. These clothes... they were my uniform at that café. They're filthy. I don't have any others anymore. I have nothing. I'm trapped. Palermo _owns _me. I'm dirty, and I'm homeless, and I'm helpless."

Serena bit down on both of her lips and looked away for a while.

"Well, at least you're here," said Serena. "You have that."

Aria did not react for a few seconds.

"I didn't want to have to beg."

Serena attempted to meet Aria's eyes, but Aria immediately looked away.

"You're not begging," said Serena. "I'm helping you. We all are."

More silence followed.

"Is... there a bathroom I can use here?" said Aria.

"Of course there is!" said Serena. "And there's a washing machine and everything else you could need, too!"

"Good."

Aria grimaced. She clenched her eyes shut, rubbed her temples, then shook her head.

"That's... good," said Aria. "I need my clothes washed, and I need a shower that's, like, five hours long."

There was a faint gurgling sound. Aria shot a glance at Serena. The momentary look of embarrassment that crossed her face turned into a nervous smile instead.

"And, if it's not too much trouble, I would greatly appreciate something to eat."

* * *

Serena stepped out of the room and went down the hall to Bonnie's room. She entered silently and found Bonnie fast asleep but Korrina still awake, playing a game on a handheld console in her sleeping bag. Serena asked Korrina if she had a spare change of clothes Aria could borrow, and she left the room with a tank top and a pair of sweatpants in hand.

Before returning to the room, she went downstairs to the kitchen. There, she found a basket and filled it with half a dozen pieces of fruit and two relatively fresh croissants which she thought she recalled Clemont baking the day before. With the basket under one arm and the clean clothes under the other, she went back upstairs and returned to Aria.

While Aria thanked her effusively, Serena considered the logistics of the situation. She requested the use of the bathroom before Aria occupied it for what was likely to be a very long time. Aria readily agreed, looking eager to sink her teeth into a particularly plump pear while Serena was away.

While Serena brushed her teeth with one hand, she stacked a supply of towels and toiletries on the edge of the tub with her other hand. Multiple kinds of soap, shampoo, conditioner, and an assortment of combs and brushes lined the basin. When she returned to the bedroom, she found a pear core atop the overflowing wastebasket and Aria gnawing on a croissant. Full-mouthed, Aria nodded along in agreement as Serena suggested that she wait outside the bathroom door while Aria undressed, and then she would take her clothes immediately to the wash.

A few minutes later, Serena watched as a single hand slid through a gap between the slightly-open bathroom door and its frame and dropped an assortment of garments onto the floor. Aria quickly uttered her thanks and then closed the door. Serena heard the lock turn, then picked up Aria's dirty clothes. Doing everything in her power to avoid smelling them or even looking at them, she hurried her way to the laundry room with held breath. She then put them on the heaviest cycle the machine offered and made her way back up the stairs. As she passed by the bathroom, she heard the shower running.

Back in the spare bedroom, Serena closed the door behind her. And then, as she changed out of her day clothes and into her pajamas, she wondered why exactly nobody, not even her, had hesitated to place Aria in the same room as the girl who everyone knew she had a crush on. All too well, she remembered the kiss Aria planted on her cheek.

Before she could devote much thought to it, fatigue got the best of her, and she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning, Serena opened her eyes, saw light, and experienced a moment of panic before she remembered it was Sunday and that she did not, in fact, have to go to work. Once the panic passed, she quickly fell back asleep. It was almost noon when she awoke again. She found Aria still sound asleep.

With the thoughts of the previous night still fresh in her mind, Serena took her day clothes with her into the bathroom and changed there. As she passed by Aria's bed near the door, she found the food basket empty, with several additional fruit cores stacked on top of the wastebasket. In the bathroom, several obviously used towels were hung over the shower curtain rod. The bottles of shampoo were arranged neatly on the edge of the tub, and a large ball of tangled red hair sat in the trash can.

Back in the bedroom, Serena stole a glance at Aria's hair as she passed by the bed. It was straight again, untangled and silken. She smiled at the sight of it. At least it was some measure of comfort for Aria, she figured.

While Aria continued to sleep, Serena retrieved Aria's clothes from the dryer. Once again making an effort to avoid looking at them, she carried them up to the bedroom. For a moment, she considered folding them for her, but then she caught sight of a pair of panties in the pile and quickly dropped it all at the foot of the bed. She grabbed her bag and hurried out of the room.

Given the time of day, Serena was not surprised to find the house abandoned. Finding herself in the unusual position of being alone there, she went down to the first floor and sat down on the sofa. The curtains were still shut. It was cool and dark. She reached for the remote and turned on the TV.

For several minutes, she flipped through the channels. She found nothing worth watching. She could not help but roll her eyes. It seemed to be the world's way of telling her she could go outside, yet she wasn't sure it was safe for her to do so. It seemed crazy, but a tiny and very real part of her expected to be accosted by a secret agent as soon as she opened the front door.

Time passed. She wondered where Ash was. What would he think of all this? What would he do? Would he have chased down Aria? Surely he would have fought Palermo and Monsieur Pierre if he had been there. There was no doubt about that. The corner of Serena's mouth turned upward into a smile as she pictured it. The only difference was that Ash would have won.

Her mind, and her hands, wandered toward the letters in her bag. She pulled out the stack of letters from Ash and sifted through them. She read his most recent letter once again. She wasn't sure what to think. She had received no reply, not a trace of communication from him since that day. She had not received a phone call from her mother regarding a letter from Ash arriving in their mailbox. Perhaps that meant he had received her letter and heeded her advice not to write to that address anymore. Or maybe her mother simply hadn't bothered to tell her about her receiving a letter from Ash. What if Ash had written and her mother was simply throwing the letters away? No, that was far too petty for her mother, and she knew it. Her mother would have much rather held onto them as fuel for a fight.

Perhaps those days were in the past, though. There was no stockpile of love letters on the kitchen counter. There was no letter on the doormat at Clemont's house, nor stuck in the door flap nor even lost in the mail. Serena knew that the most likely answer was that there was simply no letter at all, and that was what made his last letter so troubling. Team _Skull?_ How could she not worry?

There was no way Ash couldn't handle it. That was what she told herself, anyway. But wasn't Lillie's mother involved? Wasn't she after that _beast? _The name still made her feel sick even to think of it. Her encounter with it was the most nightmarish experience of her life, without question. Her hands and feet went cold as she remembered. _Nihilego._

Could Ash handle that… _thing?_

She figured that so far, no news was good news. If Lillie's mother had succeeded, surely the world would have already come to an end. Or if not that, at least have taken notice. There was no way the influence of such a horrible creature could have gone undetected.

But then again, wasn't the artificial island Lillie's mother operated somewhere in the middle of the ocean? If there was anywhere something could go unnoticed, it was there. How else could Lillie have been held prisoner for so long?

Serena felt foolish at the thought as she heard footsteps coming down the stairs. She turned to look and saw Aria descending, dressed in her uniform again. Once again, her hair was tied up in a tight bun. Her bag was over her shoulder, and her beret was atop her head.

She stopped and froze when her eyes met Serena's.

"Oh, hi," said Aria. "I didn't realize you were here. I assumed you were out."

Serena shook her head. She saw Aria's eyes wander toward the door.

"What are you doing?" said Serena.

"I'm making my exit."

"Your _what?"_

"I think it's time for me to go. I've stayed long enough. I can't impose like this."

Serena sat fully upright and set her pile of letters aside.

"Where are you going to go?" she said. "I thought you said you didn't have anywhere else to go!"

"I don't, really, but I'll find something," said Aria. "I can't stay here."

"You can't just leave with no plan!"

"I can't stay here with no plan, either," said Aria. "All that will do is put you and your friends in danger. I can't do that."

"Aria!"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but I really do need to go."

Serena rose from the couch and took several quick strides toward Aria. Aria reached for the door. Serena ran ahead of her, spread her arms, and barred the way.

"Serena…"

"You can't just throw yourself back on the street!" said Serena.

"I can make that decision if I want to. It's my life."

"It's a terrible decision!"

"So is letting me stay here."

"I _won't _let you go!"

"Serena."

"There's no argument! I won't let you do this!"

"Are you really going to keep me here by force?"

"If I have to!"

"Are you _really_ going to resort to her tactics?"

Serena felt like she took a jab to the gut, but she was quick to recover.

"Fine. I'll argue, then," she said.

"What's your argument?" said Aria. "Let's hear it."

"You're going to get caught if you leave!" said Serena. "How can you not see that?"

"How can you not see that I can be captured just as easily if I remain here?" said Aria.

"Because I'm going to fight for you if you're here!"

"I can't endanger you and your friends!" said Aria. "Put yourself in my shoes! I can't have that on my conscience!"

"Put yourself in mine!" said Serena. "I can't let you just walk out of here and throw yourself back into Palermo's trap! I can't have that on _my_ conscience!"

"This is still my decision to make."

"It's still my decision to stop you!"

Deep in Serena's mind, the dots connected themselves. Her heart missed a beat. Her face immediately began to flush with shame. More than once, she had been on the other side of this exchange. One of those times ended with a bitter battle on the beach. Another ended with her jumping off a yacht.

Serena hung her head and stepped aside.

"And it's my decision not to stop you, too," she said.

Aria gave Serena a confused stare. She did not budge from her spot.

"Are you really going to let me leave?" said Aria.

"Maybe."

"I know this is the opposite of what you're used to hearing from me, but that was a yes or no question. There is no in-between."

Serena let out a noise that began as a laugh and ended as a resigned sigh. She rolled her eyes.

"Please, don't do this," she said. "Please. You _have_ to stay."

Aria gave Serena a flat glance.

"No, I very much do _not_ have to stay here."

"Fine. I _want _you to stay, then."

"Why?"

"Because we obviously have a lot to sort out between us!" said Serena.

"Not really?" said Aria, half-shrugging.

"How can you say that?" said Serena. "I know for a fact that everything that happened between us mattered a _lot_ to you. You told me so! I've got your letter to prove it!"

"You kept my letter?"

"Only the part that was meant for me! The other part went into the bonfire. I never opened it. I promise."

Aria looked stunned.

"Honestly, I'm surprised you even received it," said Aria. "I assumed there was a greater chance of someone curious taking it from the bench than of you finding it. Hence the anonymity in it."

Serena shook her head.

"No, I found it," she said. "I kept it."

Serena hesitated for a moment.

"It made me cry," she added.

Aria pursed her lips and looked at the doormat.

"I'm sorry," she said.

"Don't be," said Serena.

"I've done more than enough to hurt you, and that's why I need to go."

"That letter was full of the nicest things anyone has ever said about me."

There was silence for several seconds.

"I meant them," said Aria.

"I know," said Serena. "And-"

Serena covered her face and groaned into her hands.

"And if Palermo hadn't tricked me, maybe you would have seen some of me pouring my heart out to you in response!"

"Wait, what?"

"I tried so hard to find you! I tried so hard to apologize to you! But everything got so messed up, and so much has happened, and you don't know about any of it! And your life is terrible right now and I just want you to stay because I can't stand to see you make things even worse for yourself for no reason! And maybe we can work through some of what happened, because I know that nobody who says what you said about me could possibly have an evil heart!"

Aria stared at Serena, wordless and confused.

"I forgive you," said Serena. "I forgive you for everything. I forgave you a long time ago. I wanted to tell you that, but Palermo took it away from us."

Aria closed her eyes. She took a long, deep breath, then let out all at once. Her shoulders slackened.

"I don't know what to do," she said.

"How about we have some tea?"

* * *

A few minutes later, Aria sat at the kitchen table while Serena hovered over the kettle on the stove, waiting for it to boil. Aria sat with one arm dangling between her legs and the other arm wrapped around it, still as a statue as she stared vacantly into the next room. Serena stole several glances at Aria, her concern increasing each time Aria failed to notice. As always, though, Aria proved to be more perceptive than she realized.

"Is this a habit of yours?" said Aria.

Serena jumped in surprise at the broken silence and looked to see Aria looking at her with only her eyes turned, her head still facing the door to the next room.

"Is what?" said Serena.

"Having long, heartfelt conversations over tea," said Aria. She returned her gaze to the next room. "This won't be our first time doing this, after all."

Serena thought for a moment and then shrugged, smiling awkwardly.

"I guess so," she said. "I _do_ do this a lot."

"So, not just with me, then?" said Aria.

"No," said Serena. "I did this with Lillie, too."

"Who?"

Serena paused for a moment. She rubbed a spot on her forehead right between her eyes.

"I have a lot to explain," she said.

"Someone I haven't met, then?" said Aria.

Serena nodded.

"A friend of yours?" said Aria.

"It's complicated," said Serena.

"It seems like everything always is for you."

"Kind of."

A sly smile formed on Aria's lips.

"Have you figured out why yet?" she said.

Serena groaned.

"Don't even start with that. Please."

"I'll keep it to myself, then."

"That, too!"

"What?"

"You knowing things about me that I don't know and being all vague and tempting me with them!"

"I'm sorry. I suppose it just comes naturally to me. I don't know why."

"Do you do it with other people, too?"

"No."

"Really?"

"I've never had anyone else with whom I could do this," said Aria. "I've spent my whole life surrounded by others, but it was always for business. They were my colleagues, my co-stars. None of them were my friends. Not really, anyway."

"Oh, right," said Serena. She turned her attention back to the kettle. "I should have known that."

"I don't blame you for not remembering."

"Maybe you should."

"Why? What's all this with you wanting to punish yourself?"

Serena resisted the urge to groan and roll her eyes. Of course Aria also knew upon sight. How could she not?

"I've done a lot of hurtful things to others in the past few months, and I'm trying to make up for it," said Serena.

"Does this have anything to do with you insisting you need to apologize to me?" said Aria.

"Yes. Quite a lot, actually."

"I don't know why you think so. You didn't do anything wrong to me. Even if…"

Aria tightened her lips and shifted her stance in the chair.

"Even if my feelings were hurt," she said.

"That's… not what I'm talking about," said Serena. "It's what happened after that."

Aria gave Serena a glance and shrugged.

"It's not your fault Palermo tricked you," said Aria. "Even though I warned you, it's not your fault. She deceives people who are wise to her ways all the time. Trust me, I know."

Serena remained quiet for a while, watching the kettle do nothing.

"I'm sorry about that, too," she said. "That's still not what I'm talking about, though. There's a big piece of this story you're still missing."

"Is this about your emails to me?" said Aria.

"Yes."

"What could you possibly have said in them that would justify you going to such great lengths to track me down and apologize?"

"I did something really stupid. Something really cruel, and selfish, and stupid."

"What did you do?"

"I begged you for money."

Aria scoffed.

"Oh, _please,"_ she said. "Do you think that's the first time I've been solicited? After the stunt I pulled on you in Monego City, I practically _owed _it to you."

Serena hesitated a moment before she continued.

"I… kind of expected you would feel that way, about owing it to me. I tried to guilt-trip you, pretty much. I tried to play with your feelings."

"I don't blame you for doing it," said Aria. "I probably even helped give you the idea with those train tickets!"

"I tried to extort you!"

"You deserved some repayment," said Aria. "I mean, I either directly or indirectly ruined your vacation and probably most of your belongings."

"I threatened to blackmail you!"

"Oh, really?" said Aria. She looked highly amused. "And just what were you going to do?"

"I- I don't know! It wasn't a real threat! It was just implied! And I played with your feelings and preyed on your guilt all so I could get the money I needed for a plane ticket to go to Kanto to be with Ash!"

Aria's expression flattened.

"Oh."

Serena leaned against the countertop and massaged her temples, her eyes shut. The kettle whistled, and Serena turned off the burner.

"That's why I need to apologize to you," said Serena. "I tried to use you to get to Ash."

Aria did not look at Serena. Instead, she sat with one arm flat on the table and her head in her other hand, propped up by her elbow. She looked somewhere else.

"I suppose that was the black cloud on the horizon this whole time, wasn't it?" she said. "There's really no avoiding it anymore, is there?"

"I wish we could avoid it, but no," said Serena.

"It's my own fault for entangling myself in this mess in the first place," said Aria.

"Don't blame yourself," said Serena. "I'm the one who was oblivious."

"I'm the one who kissed you anyway despite practically all of our conversations being about your romantic troubles with him. You made it perfectly clear you were in love with him. I chose to ignore that, for selfish and naive reasons."

"Aria…"

"Look, it's history now," said Aria. "You made your choice. I heard your message, loud and clear. It's done."

"You didn't hear my message, though," said Serena. "You never saw it."

Aria hesitated for a moment. Her face tightened. She spoke in a serious, more deliberate tone.

"Serena, whatever you are about to tell me, please do not get my hopes up for nothing. I don't know what happened, but if you are about to tell me what I think you are, I am not certain my heart can take it. If you wanted to apologize for playing with my feelings, please, I implore you, do not play with them now."

Serena bit her lip. So many words came to mind, but none of them seemed right. Not after Aria's plea.

"Ash isn't here, is he?" said Aria.

"No."

"What happened?"

"It's a long story."

"I'm not sure I can endure a long story about this particular subject," said Aria. "Can you summarize it?"

Serena wasn't sure where to start. So much had happened. Still, she knew there was one piece of information that Aria wanted to hear above all else.

"Ash and I are still together, technically," said Serena.

Aria sighed. She nodded and looked away.

"Thank you for not burying the lede," she said.

"He's in Alola right now," said Serena. "I don't know when he's coming back. We're technically still together, but we're also still taking a break. I don't really know what our relationship status is. It's complicated."

"Alola? What is he doing so far away?"

"We went there together. There was a professor who wanted to meet Ash and study him and his Pokémon as part of his research. Things began moving way too quickly between me and Ash, mostly because of me. And then everything got really complicated when Lillie entered the picture."

"He found another girl?" said Aria.

"She found him."

"But she got in the way nonetheless, I take it?"

"Not exactly. It was all my doing. Lillie was one of the sweetest people I've ever met. She didn't get in the way. I went paranoid _imagining_ her getting in the way and blamed her for every problem in my relationship with Ash. In reality, pretty much all of those problems were my fault."

"So, he's still there with her?"

"Yes. I burned so many bridges that I decided the only thing I could do was leave. I came back to Kalos. Ash is still in Alola, traveling with Lillie."

Aria gave Serena a measured, incredulous look.

"You left him alone, half a world away, with the girl you were afraid would take him from you?"

"I know how ridiculous that sounds."

"At least you're aware of it, then."

"There are… circumstances," said Serena. "Lillie has a tiny, helpless Pokémon in her care that she's trying to return to its home. Ash is helping her."

"How cute."

"And there are possibly some other people who want to acquire that Pokémon for evil purposes. Lillie isn't a trainer, and she needs protection. That's why Ash is helping her."

"Oh, he's her _bodyguard_, is he?" said Aria.

"Kind of?"

"Let's see how literal that term turns out to be when he comes back."

"Aria!"

Aria shook her head and sighed.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I know it's not appropriate, but I can't help but be cynical about this."

"He writes to me every week," said Serena. "And he signs every letter _Love, Ash."_

"And, to be perfectly honest, _jealous,"_ said Aria.

"I don't know why you would envy me," said Serena. Immediately, she felt like a moron and scrambled to amend her statement. "I mean, aside from the whole _not being imprisoned by Palermo_ thing. And all the other stuff I have that you don't. Actually, this is all really, really stupid for me to say and I should probably just stop before I-"

"It's not _you_ I envy," said Aria. "Not for this particular issue, anyway."

"It's not?"

"No. It's _Ash _who I envy."

"Oh. I, uh, didn't expect that. At all."

"Your love life is a mess," said Aria. "Meanwhile, Ash has girls fawning over him all the time without doing anything."

"You're the Kalos Queen!" said Serena. "There are _millions_ of people who want to be with you!"

"Yeah, that's great," said Aria, pointedly throwing both her eyes and one hand up in the air in a sarcastic, defeated sort of gesture. "There are a million guys in Kalos who want to get in my pants. Too bad I'm not interested in _any_ of them!"

Timid, uncertain if she should say what she was about to say, Serena shrugged.

"There's probably a lot of girls, too, aren't there?"

"Oh, sure, plenty," said Aria. "And you've seen _exactly_ how well that goes. Practically every girl in Kalos is too starstruck to hold a conversation with me! And even the ones who _can_ talk to me typically don't want to talk about anything interesting! I'm not looking for someone who will talk to me about _shoes._ I don't want to _hook up_ withsomeone. I want someone who will let me have a good cry on their shoulder and then go out to the movies and have dinner at a cheap restaurant and hold my hand while we take a walk to nowhere late at night just because and cuddle with me on the couch on a rainy day and talk about anything, _literally anything,_ other than my title and the life I've lived in front of the camera!"

Serena found herself utterly unable to respond. She parted her lips to speak, but then shut them tight after several seconds of failing to make a sound.

"Being on the other side of the screen is like living in a glass prison," said Aria. "I can see the outside just as clearly as anyone else, but I can't break through the walls. And so _of course_ it makes me green with envy to see people like Ash who have the world eating from the palm of their hand without having to deal with any of the problems I have, completely oblivious to how good they have it! And for that matter, it makes me _furious_ to see people like _you_ who limit themselves for no apparent reason, content to live their lives in a prison of their own construction, incapable of understanding that all of their perceived obstacles are of their own making!"

Her eyes wide open and unblinking, Serena stared at Aria, stunned. She watched as Aria closed her eyes, took a deep, shaky breath, then let it all out as she clasped her hands over her face and groaned into them.

"And it makes me feel like a terrible person to take this all out on you and yell at you when none of my problems are your fault," said Aria, her voice much quieter.

Serena turned back to the stove and filled two cups with steaming water from the kettle. She dropped a tea bag in each and carried them over to the table. She placed one in front of Aria, then took her own to the opposite side of the table and sat down across from her.

"You're not a terrible person," said Serena.

"I feel like one."

"I know what that's like."

"Hmm."

Aria merely hummed and picked up her teacup. She held it in front of her mouth, steam rising from it while she looked away, her eyes trained on the closed curtains covering the window. Serena didn't bother to mention that the tea wasn't ready to drink yet, that it needed longer to steep. It was beside the point. She knew it was nothing more than a diversion.

"I… don't know if I can be that person you want to find," said Serena.

Aria pursed her lips for a moment.

"I know."

"But a lot of what you said… I would like to do those things with you."

Aria lowered her teacup and met Serena's eyes.

"I know how childish this is probably going to sound," said Serena, "but... why can't we be friends?"

Aria stared at Serena through the rising steam. Serena shifted in her seat. She knew that what she was about to say was going to sound strange.

"If you want to cry on my shoulder, I'm available for that," said Serena. "And if you want to go see a dumb movie and eat at a crummy restaurant and go on a walk at night just to talk, I want to do that, too."

"Serena…"

"I've never had a connection with someone quite like the one I have with you. I don't want you to leave my life."

Aria placed her teacup on the table.

"Is this what you wanted to say to me in all those emails I never got?" she said.

"More or less," said Serena.

Aria folded her hands in her lap.

"I'm sorry I missed them," she said.

"It's not your fault," said Serena.

"It's not yours, either."

"I'm still sorry, though. For everything I did, whether you knew about it or not."

"You _really _tried to extort money from me?" said Aria.

"Unfortunately, yes," Serena said, cringing as she nodded.

"I just can't imagine you doing such a thing," said Aria. "The idea is almost funny, honestly. I can't picture you threatening anybody. I bet it was the weakest attempt at blackmail of all time!"

Serena laughed nervously.

"Maybe?" she said. "It worked. Or at least, I thought it did. It must have been Palermo who sent me that money. Makes me wish I hadn't returned it."

Aria's face lit up in astonishment.

"You _returned _it?"

"She sent me a ridiculous amount of money!"

"A drop in the bucket for her, I assure you."

"I had no idea what to do with it all! It made me feel so guilty!"

Aria laughed.

"I was right! This really was the worst attempt at blackmail ever!"

"Well, I kept some of it," said Serena. "I thought that made me an even worse person, but if it was Palermo's money the whole time, I guess that doesn't matter? I had to get home somehow!"

"How much did you keep?"

"Enough to be safe for a while," said Serena.

Aria shook her head. She held a hand to her forehead, looking even more amused.

"Ridiculous," she said. "You might literally be the worst criminal ever."

"Did you ever meet Team Rocket?" said Serena.

"Who?"

"It doesn't matter. _They're _the worst criminals ever."

"If you insist," said Aria. "I suppose you'll have to settle for being the second-worst criminal ever."

"I'm not sure if that's better or worse," said Serena.

"Me neither," said Aria. She shook her head, then stifled another laugh. "I'm sorry. I know I shouldn't find this so funny, but I can't help it. It's just so absurd."

Serena was puzzled.

"You're taking this a lot better than I expected you would," she said.

"I would rather laugh about it than yell at you again."

"I figured you _would_ yell at me because of the reason I did it."

Aria bit the inside of her cheek for a moment and gave Serena a curt nod.

"I won't lie, that _does _hurt. What more can I do about it, though? I've told you how it makes me feel. I know you're sorry. That has to be good enough."

Serena stared into her teacup for a while. She had a strange but definite thought that every time she watched the steam rise from a cup it felt less and less profound. She gently pushed her cup to the side and looked directly at Aria.

"So," said Serena.

"What?" said Aria.

"Are you going to stay?"

Aria thought for a moment. A tiny, mischievous smile formed on her face.

"Can we make another pillow fort?"

* * *

A few hours later, with the assistance of Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina, the living room was transformed. Courtesy of the large quantity of supplies at their disposal, the pillow fort they constructed was much more elaborate than the one in the penthouse. The walls were reinforced with aluminum casings. Clemont was insistent on using them for their structural integrity despite the disproportionate amount of time required to assemble them. While he ratcheted them together, Bonnie and Korrina dug through the spare bedroom and requisitioned a lightning rod to use as a center support for the blanket that would cover the fort.

Serena and Aria mostly stood aside, enjoying the spectacle. With everyone's Pokémon gathered in the room, the construction process bordered on chaos. When Clemont asked for additional assistance in supporting the frame while he assembled it, Chespin and Bunnelby's support alone having proved insufficient, Pancham was all too enthusiastic to assist. He knocked the frame over, which in turn knocked over a lamp, which Serena's Delphox caught with Psychic a mere instant before it hit the floor. A fight broke out between Pancham and Bunnelby, and they had to be separated by Lucario. Sylveon took Pancham into a corner and tried to calm him down. All the while, Serena's Delphox and Aria's Delphox stood far apart, on opposite sides of the room.

When the fort was completed, everyone gathered inside of it and huddled around a game board. The next hour rapidly devolved into a mess of strategy and politics. Much like the game Serena played with Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina at the penthouse, this one also involved acquiring territories. This one had many more components, though. There were cards, and strangely-shaped tiles, and players could trade with each other, and all of it went completely over Serena's head. Everyone else seemed to have a much better time with it than she did, and the game became rather heated. Aria formed an alliance with Bonnie against Clemont and Korrina. Serena just sat there waiting for her turn and hoping her head wouldn't spin off her shoulders.

Fortunately, she received a reprieve in the form of an interruption just as the negotiations between the two opposing factions reached a fevered pitch. The front door opened, and Meyer entered with Ampharos, both of them carrying several bags of groceries. The proxy war in the pillow fort immediately reached a ceasefire.

"Well, hello!" said Meyer, closing the door behind him with his foot. "That's quite a fort you've got there!"

Bonnie ran out from under the fort and hugged Meyer's leg.

"Do you like it?" she said.

"I do!" said Meyer. "Excellent use of that metal casing. Very structurally sound."

Clemont gave Korrina an aside glance and adjusted his glasses with a smirk.

Bonnie let go of Meyer. Ampharos greeted everyone and then headed toward the kitchen, toddling down the hall under the weight of several overflowing bags. Meyer prepared to follow, but then took a second look at the fort and paused.

Serena saw Meyer's eyes land on Aria.

"And who do we have here?" he said. "A new friend?"

Meyer took a step into the living room and set down one of the bags he carried, freeing an arm. On instinct, Serena stood up and exited the fort. Aria hesitated a moment before following.

Serena tried to handle the introductions. She stood between Meyer and Aria and gestured to them both.

"Meyer, I'd like you to meet a friend of mine," said Serena. "This is-"

Serena did not get to finish before Meyer took Aria's hand in what was obviously a crushing handshake. Aria, to her credit, did not even blink.

"A pleasure to meet you," said Aria, bowing her head.

"Pleased to meet you, too!" said Meyer, giving Aria's hand several vigorous shakes before releasing her. Aria tucked her hands behind her back, and Serena saw her massage the hand Meyer had nearly crushed. "The name's Meyer! I'm Bonnie and Clemont's dad. And you are?"

There was a pause. Aria hesitated for a moment, just long enough for Meyer to narrow his eyes and scratch his chin.

"Come to think of it, you look mighty familiar," said Meyer. "Have we met before? My apologies if we have!"

Aria gracefully shook her head.

"No, I don't believe we have," she said. "You probably do know who I am, though."

Meyer held his hand against the side of his face. He looked stumped.

"Goodness! I'm embarrassed to admit it, but if my kids or their friends have ever told me about you before, I don't remember!" said Meyer.

"I appreciate the sincerity, but that's not what I mean," said Aria. She removed the beret from her head and looked Meyer in the eye. "My name is Aria."

Meyer dropped the bag he held, its contents spilling all over the floor. Awkward silence ensued. A cabbage rolled all the way across the room and hit the far wall with a thud.

Straightening her stance, Aria held her chin up and addressed him again. She was perfectly poised.

"I apologize for my unannounced intrusion," said Aria. "I understand that this is not an ideal introduction, but I have a serious matter which I need to discuss with you."


	6. Inner Turbulence

Chapter Six - Inner Turbulence

More than an hour later, Serena looked up and saw Aria enter the spare bedroom. After dismantling the pillow fort for the night, everyone had dispersed to their bedrooms. All the while, Serena had heard the muffled sounds of Aria speaking at great length with Meyer behind the closed door of his office. Now that she had finally resurfaced, Aria looked drained. Serena had never seen Aria so tired.

"Are you okay?" Serena said, sitting up on her bed as Aria shut the door behind her.

"Exhausted, but yes," said Aria. She tossed her beret down on her bed and then plopped down on it, stooping over to remove her shoes. She was red in the face.

"Are… _things_ okay?" said Serena.

"Yes, very much so, actually," said Aria.

Aria set her shoes aside. Serena met her eyes as she looked up again. There was a pause.

"What?" said Aria.

"You're very red," said Serena.

Drawing her lips tightly together at the corner of her mouth, Aria looked up at the ceiling as she removed the many pins from the tight bun atop her head. This time, when her hair fell free, it was not nearly as matted and gnarled.

"I didn't expect him to hug me," Aria muttered.

Serena snickered.

"He's like that," she said.

"Nor did I expect him to call me _family._ Or tell me I could stay here as long as I liked. Or offer me a job."

"Wait, what? A job?"

"Right here, in this room," said Aria. "He says he'll pay me to help clean it up and organize it all, to help me get out of Lumiose City and get a place of my own."

"How much did you tell him?"

"Everything."

"Everything?"

"Everything about Palermo, anyway," said Aria. "He was… angry? I don't know what to call it. He said he couldn't allow something so horrible to happen to a friend of his family, and that he would do everything in his power to keep me safe."

"That sounds like Meyer," said Serena.

"It was really _embarrassing,"_ said Aria.

"That _really _sounds like Meyer."

"How do Clemont and Bonnie deal with him?"

"He's not around much."

"Clemont and Bonnie don't have a mom, do they?" said Aria.

Serena slowly shook her head.

"That's… not ideal," said Aria.

"He's a good dad," said Serena. "He loves his kids. He works really hard to support them and the things they like to do. He's always welcoming to their friends. I work for him, too, you know. He's even a pretty good boss. He's disorganized, but he's also understanding."

Aria laid down on her bed and tucked both of her hands behind her head.

"I guess I'm just not used to being around adults I can trust," she said.

Serena thought for a moment.

"It's pretty new to me, too, actually."

* * *

Monday morning arrived, and Serena slipped past a sound asleep Aria on her way out the door to work. The day passed in a frenzy of activity, with Meyer apparently behind schedule on several repairs that were overdue for delivery. At lunchtime, he handed Serena a stack of packages and hurried her out the door for a lengthy delivery route. As such, it was later than usual when she returned home that evening.

She found the first floor deserted, with only the smell of a missed dinner lingering in the air. In the kitchen, she found a plate wrapped in foil waiting for her in the refrigerator, her name affixed to it with a sticky note. She took the plate from the fridge and began to unwrap it. As she did so, something caught her eye.

She noticed the video phone in the corner of the room. A thought occurred to her. After checking one more time that she was in fact alone on the floor, she sat down at the kiosk and dialed.

Serena heard the receiver pick up and waited for the picture to come in. As always, it was a game to see who would move first. Her mother never turned on the camera until she knew who was on the other end of the line.

"Hello?" said Grace. Her voice was disembodied, portrayed by screen static. Serena knew that some things would never change, and this was one of them.

"Hi, mom."

The screen flickered and came to life. The incomprehensible static on the screen transfigured into a more organized form, colors and shapes springing forth from the chaotic mess of gray to become the face of her mother. She found her mother as always sitting at the phone kiosk in the kitchen, her suspenders down and tied around her waist after a long day of work.

"Serena! It's good to hear from you! How have you been? How's the job? Everything going well?"

It was the predictable barrage of questions. Serena nodded and prepared the predictable answer.

"I've been doing well," said Serena.

But then, a thought came to her. She tried something new and added to her statement.

"How about you?" said Serena. "How have you been?"

"Oh, I've been fine," said Grace. She looked surprised to be asked. "Busy, of course."

"Were you able to get what's-his-name to work for you?"

Serena hid it well, but inwardly she smirked. She knew the boy's name. She also knew it would irritate her mother to pretend she forgot it.

_"Calem_ was more than happy to accept the job offer," said Grace. "And just like I thought, his enthusiasm went away as soon as he figured out he wouldn't be working with you."

"Poor guy."

"If you want to pretend to feel sorry for him, let it be for his tender hands," said Grace. "He clearly hadn't worked a day in his life before he showed up on the doorstep last week. He's got horrible blisters. One weekend wasn't enough for them to heal. Rhyhorn has been slow to warm up to him, unfortunately."

"The only person Rhyhorn likes is you," said Serena.

"He likes you, too!" said Grace.

Vivid memories of being bucked off Rhyhorn's back, chased around the paddock, and almost trampled flooded Serena's mind.

"He has a weird way of showing it, then."

"That's just how Rhyhorn are," said Grace. "Calem has a lot to learn, though. Rhyhorn threw him halfway across the field last Wednesday."

"You always told me that builds character," said Serena.

"It does," said Grace. "I just can't help but feel sorry for the boy that this isn't what he expected at all."

Serena narrowed her eyes.

"Didn't you leave out the details on purpose?" she said.

"Yes, and I wish I hadn't," said Grace.

"You seemed to think it was funny when I was still there."

"Just because I'm getting older doesn't mean I can't learn," said Grace. "I've learned enough to know that sometimes it's worth thinking about the way you do things, even if it's the way you've always done them."

Serena tightened her lips and nodded.

"So," said Grace, adopting a mischievous look. "Any eligible coworkers at your new job?"

_"Mom."_

"Just asking!"

"It's just me and Meyer," said Serena. "And his Ampharos, too. He offered me a job because he needed an assistant, remember?"

"I know, I know," said Grace, waving a hand. "I was wondering if maybe he had hired anyone else to help. It sounded like there was a lot of work for you."

"There is," said Serena. "And, technically, he has hired someone else. _She_ hasn't officially started yet, though."

Serena hoped the emphasis would deter her mother from prying further. She succeeded.

"Ah. Well, I hope he's not overworking you."

"He isn't. My job is pretty easy, actually. It's a lot of mindless busywork, but he's not really in a hurry to finish it."

"That's no excuse to slack off, though," said Grace.

"I'm not slacking off!" said Serena. "I don't even have time to! I spend most of my mornings sorting boxes of old parts and salvaging anything he can use from them. Most of my afternoons are spent running deliveries for him. I barely even have time to look at a clock."

"Deliveries?" said Grace.

"Yes. His business is… weird. It seems like all he does is collect old gadgets and take them apart for fun while he repairs electronics for people who don't know how. I've delivered laptops and stuff to people all over the city. And sometimes he fixes things that are super old, like those giant old TVs. He delivers those himself, though. There's no way I could carry one of them."

"I'm surprised there's a market for that in this day and age."

"Me too. I don't ask questions, though."

"Probably for the best," Grace said, accompanied by a subdued laugh.

A few seconds of silence passed during which Serena didn't know what to say. She wanted to get to the point already, but she had no idea how to do it without arousing suspicion. Her mother broke the silence.

"So, other than work, how have things been?" said Grace. "Been having a good time with your friends?"

"Oh, yes, I have."

"Has it been good to see them again?"

"Yes, definitely. We've been doing something fun almost every day."

"Oh really? What have you all been up to?"

"We've been to the movies a few times, been to a couple of outdoor festivals, go to the park every now and then. We hang out at Clemont's gym a lot. He's always working on his robot. Bonnie is a handful, as always, but Korrina is really great with her. They're both so energetic."

"A robot?" said Grace. "You mean the one Clemont told me ran the gym while he was away?"

"Yes. That's Clembot. He made one for Korrina, too."

"Is he still using that thing to run his gym even though he's back in the city?"

"Pretty much. He's always there with Clembot, but it's Clembot who does all the battling."

"Is Korrina is also using a robot to run her gym?"

"She is," said Serena. "She's been in Lumiose for a while. I think she got here about a month before I did."

"I really hope the two of them don't get in trouble for that," said Grace.

"For what?" said Serena. "Using robots to run their gyms? Clemont knows the league rules by heart. It's not against the rules. He even knows the numbers of the sections in the rulebook that cover it."

"It doesn't seem like it should be allowed, if you ask me," said Grace.

"Huh? Why not?"

"It's against the spirit of the challenge, don't you think?"

"Not really," said Serena. She shook her head. "Clemont made Clembot himself and he modeled it after himself. It acts just like him. In a way, it's still him who's battling everyone, you know?"

"I'm sure there are some trainers who really don't like that," said Grace.

Serena's mind drifted to the challenger who drew Korrina's wrath.

"Well, yeah, there are."

"I know you don't pay much attention to the news, but it was a bit of a scandal when he left town to travel with you all," said Grace.

"It was?"

"It made the news, anyway. It sounded like league officials didn't think it was a good look to have the gym leader in the largest city in Kalos take such a long leave of absence, but they were willing to excuse it because the robot at least fit with the theme of an electric-type gym."

Serena hesitated to respond. She blinked.

"I've never heard any of this before," she said.

"Clemont must have, one way or another," said Grace.

"He's never mentioned it."

"Maybe that's why he's devoting so much time to improving his robot, and why he's there with it all the time," said Grace.

"Maybe," said Serena. She wasn't sure. Not about Clemont and Korrina's robots, nor anything else.

"I hope he doesn't get Korrina in trouble," said Grace. "Maybe he can get away with it, but if she's left her gym unattended for so long, someone who doesn't like battling against a robot is bound to complain sooner or later."

"I hope not," said Serena.

"Plus, I'm not sure if anyone at the league office knows about those two," said Grace. She gave Serena an aside glance as if trying to keep a secret despite no one else being present. "I can't imagine they would take well to the two of them being together. Dating coworkers is a messy business."

Serena narrowed her eyes.

"Weren't you _just _trying to encourage me to do that?"

"Oh, it's not the same thing!" said Grace, her words followed by a dismissive wave of the hand. "It's no big deal when you're at someplace so small, like you. It's different when you're a public figure. You face a lot of scrutiny. There are expectations to meet, appearances to maintain. It's a tough life."

With her lips pursed, Serena nodded.

"I know," she said.

"Well, I'm glad you understand it," said Grace. "Honestly, it's a relief to me that you've given up on being a performer. I know some people crave it, but I've never understood people who wanted to see their own face all over the TV and the papers."

Serena measured her response.

"Me neither," she said.

Another few seconds passed in silence. Once again, Grace ended it.

"Well, I need to get cleaned up before bed. I'm a mess. You know how it is."

Grace ran a hand over her forehead. A smudge of dirt smeared across it. Serena nodded.

"Yeah, I do," said Serena.

"Alright, then," said Grace. "It was good to hear from you! Please, call whenever you like, okay? I'll always do my best to be available. I promise."

Tentative, Serena nodded again.

"Okay."

"Okay," said Grace. "Well then, have a good night."

It took Serena a moment to realize the conversation was coming to an end. When it occurred to her, she stumbled over her words, and her reply came out rushed.

"-Mom!"

"Hmm?"

Grace peered at Serena through the screen. Serena hesitated yet again.

"Have… Has there been any mail for me?" Serena asked.

Grace shook her head.

"No, there hasn't been. Not a thing. Were you expecting something?"

"No… just checking, that's all," said Serena. She was certain her mother saw right through her words. The way Grace's eyebrow raised ever so slightly was all she needed to see to confirm it.

"Well, if anything shows up, I'll let you know," said Grace.

"Thanks," said Serena. Even through the camera, she could not meet her mother's eyes.

"Okay, then," said Grace. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight."

Serena saw her mother reach for the button to switch off the display. A moment later, Grace disappeared with a click, replaced by static again. The line went silent. Serena switched off the screen on her end, leaving behind only a dark, reflective surface. She saw herself faintly mirrored in it. She sighed and placed her elbows on the kiosk, and her chin in her hands.

There were many things she wanted, but what she wanted most of all was a way to contact Ash. She had never felt so far apart from him.

* * *

After reheating her dinner plate and scarfing it down alone, Serena ascended the stairs. She proceeded past Clemont's room. His door was ajar and the lights were off. From inside, she heard the sounds of a movie playing, pale light flickering on the walls. The door to Bonnie's room was open. Nobody was inside.

As such, Serena was doubly surprised to find the door to the spare bedroom shut and to find Aria laying there on the bed near the door. Startled by the unexpected entrance, Aria quickly sat upright and shut the book she had been reading.

"Oh! There you are," said Aria. "We were concerned when you weren't in time for dinner. Clemont saved you a plate."

"I know," said Serena. She stepped into the room and shut the door behind her again. "I found it. Sorry for being late. And for making everyone worry. And for startling you."

"That's quite alright," said Aria. "Busy day, I presume?"

"Yes, I-"

Serena took one step past Aria's bed in the direction of her own, then stopped in her tracks. The room was still a disaster, but the clear path to the other side of the room was much wider than when she left that morning. Several of the more precarious piles of parts throughout the room had been greatly reduced in size. The areas around both of the beds had both been completely cleared. On the far side of the room, Aria's Delphox carried a box. She placed it atop an orderly stack that had not been there the last time Serena had been in the room.

Her jaw hanging open, Serena looked at Aria. Looking rather pleased with herself, Aria smiled.

"I guess you had a busy day, too," said Serena.

"Why yes, I did," said Aria. "Thank you for noticing."

"Thank _you_ for doing this," said Serena. "How did you do so much? This must have taken the whole day!"

"It did, actually," said Aria. "I only settled into bed for the evening a short while ago."

Amazed at the difference, Serena looked all around as she wandered to her bed and set her bag down on top of it. Taking another glance at Aria's Delphox, Serena dug into her bag and took a Poke Ball from it. She released her own Delphox, who materialized next to Aria's. The two of them exchanged an awkward greeting, one which was cut short when Serena's Delphox took notice of the stack of boxes beside which Aria's Delphox stood. Serena's Delphox tilted her head ever so slightly.

"Maybe this is weird, but I'm really impressed!" said Serena. "Korrina and I had no idea what to do with all this junk. We did our best just to make it so we could walk around in here. This mess is just so _big. _How did you even know where to start?"

"Honestly, all I did was pick a spot and dug into it," said Aria. "The rest just kind of happened along the way."

"You say it like it's so easy," said Serena. "This had to have been hard work!"

"You flatter me," said Aria. "It wasn't that hard. It didn't feel like it, anyway. If anything, it was an enjoyable change of pace. A change can be as good as a rest, after all."

Serena sat down on the edge of her bed. Aria continued.

"Also, I had some additional motivation. Aromatisse and Delphox are not fond of this mess. Even when we were residing in the abandoned dance school, we kept things more orderly than this."

On the other side of the room, Serena's Delphox pulled out her wand. She pointed it at one of the many towering stacks of junk. There was a glint of indigo light in her eyes, and then the top of the stack rose into the air. She transferred the pile from one stack to another, setting it down on top of a shorter stack.

Aria's Delphox said nothing. She watched, very still.

"That, and I doubt Korrina wishes to stay in Bonnie's room forever," said Aria.

"Oh, yeah," said Serena. "That's right. I almost forgot that… that was her bed before you arrived."

Serena awkwardly pointed at the bed on which Aria sat. Aria gave her a measured, serious nod.

"I have not forgotten, unfortunately," she said. "Even though everyone insists I am not imposing, I continue to feel as though I am. I spoke to Korrina again today and let her know that I was content to move to the couch downstairs if she wanted her bed back, but she wouldn't hear it."

"Korrina would never demand that bed back," said Serena. "She would give you the shirt off her back."

Aria tugged at the fabric of the tank top she wore. Along with the sweatpants covering her legs, Serena recognized them as the clothes Korrina lent Aria on her first night there. Aria raised one eyebrow.

"Literally, it seems," she said.

"Maybe that wasn't the best example," said Serena.

"One without a double meaning would be better, yes," said Aria.

Serena thought for a moment and came up with nothing.

"I can't think of a better way to say it, but all of my friends are kind people," said Serena. "None of them would ever think you were imposing. They're probably all really happy to have you here!"

"Is that so?" Aria said, her face skeptical.

"Well, I haven't _asked _them about it," said Serena. "But they've included you in stuff, haven't they?"

Immediately, Serena's mind turned to the movie playing in Clemont's room.

"Wait, did they not invite you to watch the movie?" Serena said, pointing in the direction of Clemont's room.

"They invited me. I declined."

"You said no?"

"That's right."

"Why?"

"Because things are still justifiably awkward between me and them, and I preferred the idea of having some quiet time to myself to trying to force interaction with them for a few hours."

"You don't have to force anything," said Serena. "They're really nice, I promise!"

"Be that as it may, you all know each other well already, whereas that is very much not the case between me and them. I am still the Kalos Queen to them, and I am still the person who deceived everyone and caused everyone a considerable amount of unnecessary trouble in Monego City. They would be justified in not trusting me."

"Well, yes, _of course_ it's going to be awkward at first," said Serena. "Things got off to a weird start between you all, but once they get to know you, that will change. Everyone wants to be your friend!"

"Yes, because of _what_ I am, not _who_ I am."

_"I'm _friends with you because of _who_ you are!"

"And our friendship is quite possibly the most forced friendship in history."

"No, it isn't!"

"I tricked you into liking me because I wanted you to!"

"And I continue to like you because I genuinely like who you are!"

There was a tense silence. Aria looked aside and pulled a strand of loose hair behind her ear.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I know this is strange coming from me, but making friends is a new experience for me. I don't know how to do it."

"I don't, either," said Serena. Her reply drew a glance from Aria.

"You live here with your friends," said Aria. "I know they aren't your only friends, either."

"And for all of them, it just kind of happened," said Serena. "I had no idea what I was doing. I don't think anyone does. Honestly, I did a whole bunch of dumb things with them. I pretty much inserted myself into their lives."

"Did you really?"

"Clemont and Bonnie were already traveling with Ash. I went chasing after Ash. When I caught up with them, I kind of just… _attached_ myself to their group. Ash eventually invited me to come along with them."

Aria went quiet. She thought for a moment.

"How long was it before you felt like everyone actually liked you?" she asked.

"Not that long," said Serena. "Honestly, I wasn't paying much attention because I was only concerned with whether or not _Ash_ liked me."

Aria closed her eyes for a split-second longer than a blink, long enough that Serena was certain she was rolling them and trying to hide it.

"That's right," said Aria. "Your single-minded focus."

Serena was reminded all too well of the revelations from their conversation aboard Aria's yacht. She tightened her lips for a moment.

"I never gave up," she said. "Not then, and not now."

"Yes, I know," said Aria. "You don't do that, no matter what."

"No."

"I maintain what I said about him, you know."

Serena's brow creased.

"What about him?"

"You don't need him."

Serena's jaw tightened. Without realizing it, she clenched her fists.

"So what?" she said. "I _want_ him. That's all that matters."

"He doesn't need you, does he?" said Aria.

"I don't _care_ if he doesn't need me! I want him, and that's that!"

"And what if he doesn't want you?"

Serena jammed her hand into her bag. Furious, she pulled out the stack of Ash's letters and brandished it at Aria.

"You see these?" said Serena. _"This_ is the number of times he's written to me while we've been apart! Every single one of these is signed _Love, Ash._ What part of that looks like him not wanting me?"

"The part where he chose to help another girl rather than help you."

Serena slammed the stack of letters onto the bed.

"I love him! He loves me!"

"For your sake, I hope he means it."

"I've got proof of it _right here!"_ said Serena, pointing at the letters on the bed. "I'll show you the signatures!"

"Actions speak louder than words."

Incensed beyond words, Serena only stared, indignant and enraged as Aria rose from her bed. Aria tucked her pillow under one arm and gave Serena a grave look.

"You'll see what I mean. It's only a matter of time."

Aria picked up her book, then headed for the door. As she reached for the doorknob, she glanced at Serena one more time.

"I'll be on the couch tonight."

At that, Aria left. Before Serena had so much as a moment to comprehend what had happened, Ribombee burst from her ball inside Serena's bag. She hovered fretfully in front of Serena for a moment before zooming out the door and down the hall, appearing greatly distressed.

Without a sound, Aria's Delphox tiptoed across the room and slipped out the door. Serena's Delphox sent Serena a brief glance, then turned away. Serena herself flopped down on her bed. Her head throbbed.

So did her heart.

* * *

The next morning, Serena woke up alone. The very first thing she felt was a pang in her chest at the memory of her argument with Aria. She could not remember falling asleep, only covering her face with a pillow and seething with anger for an unknown amount of time.

Her daily routine passed with the slow inevitability of a funeral march. The entire day felt like sleepwalking, her thoughts dwelling endlessly on Ash, and on Aria's words. And so it was that day, and the next, and for the rest of the week. Aria slept on the couch every night. Outside of a few interactions with the others, during which they both pretended nothing had happened, they never talked. Meals, movies, and games passed without an ill word exchanged, all too easy to pretend that nothing ever happened.

The end of the week came. Somehow, it had taken both forever and no time at all. That Friday afternoon, Serena's delivery route was spoiled by rain. Despite her raincoat, umbrella, and boots from her trip to Kanto proving their usefulness, she still ended up drenched to the bone by the end of the day.

But worse than being wet, she was cold. For the first time since the previous winter ended, she saw her breath. With every step she took, she left a tenuous trail of vapor that vanished into the rain just as quickly as it appeared. Slowly, as she trudged through the city streets with her arms wrapped tightly around herself, the bag over her shoulder emptied of packages.

After hours outside, Serena delivered the final package. With her delivery bag empty, she descended the front steps of the residence and prepared to make the long walk home in the rain. Hidden beneath her big red umbrella, she kept her head down. She wasn't certain if it was her waterlogged stockings and skirt, or if it was something else, but she knew it had been a long time since she felt so heavy. Every step was a chore.

Amidst a sea of taciturn people standing at a street corner, waiting in a veritable forest of umbrellas for the traffic light to turn, a jolt of adrenaline shot through Serena's heart. She saw Aria's face among the crowd.

Serena blinked, certain her eyes deceived her. They did. The face she saw belonged to Aria, but it was not Aria herself. It was Aria in paper form, her face adorning the front page of a newspaper a businessman held folded and tucked under his arm. Serena tried to get closer to read the words beneath the photo, but before she could, the sea of pedestrians moved on without her. Disoriented, she stood there trying to dodge everyone as they passed.

Several confusing seconds later, Serena was left alone on the corner. Yet, Aria's face remained. A short distance down the block, Serena saw a newspaper dispenser, the same picture of Aria as before staring at her from behind the glass, drops of water trickling down the front of the case.

Serena approached it. Her jaw dropped as she read the headline.

_The Missing Queen_

Beneath the headline was a picture of Aria walking off the stage after a performance. Serena recognized the venue. She had been there. Below the photo, a caption.

_Kalos Queen Aria, not seen publicly since defending her title (pictured), has vanished, Palermo says_

Serena stood in front of the glass case and stared, neither breathing nor blinking until a gust of wind sent a shiver down her spine. Suddenly aware of her heart thundering in her chest and an overwhelming impulse to move, she dug into her bag looking for coins, her hands shaking. With great difficulty, she scrounged up the loose change she needed and inserted it into the dispenser, at one point running after a coin that missed the slot and went rolling down the sidewalk.

In the end, the glass case opened for her. She took the paper, shoved it into her bag, and ran home.

* * *

_The Missing Queen_

_LUMIOSE CITY - Reigning Kalos Queen Aria, unseen in public since her successful title defense in May at the Master Class showcase in Gloire City, has abruptly withdrawn from public life, according to a new interview with colleague and former Kalos Queen Palermo._

_Speaking in private earlier this week, Palermo confirmed in an interview that Aria has ceased all communications with the members of her inner circle as well as the general public. The revelation comes amid months of speculation regarding Aria's whereabouts, including rumors that negotiations for either a record deal or a big-screen debut were underway. Palermo's interview now casts doubt on those rumors and sheds new light on the events taking place off-camera in the life of the notoriously secretive Kalos Queen._

_"After her successful title defense in Gloire City, our communication became less frequent and more tense," said Palermo, well-known as Aria's mentor and closest confidant. "I grew concerned for her, but even as I expressed my concern, she withdrew from me and everyone else. As much as success begets success, I worry that the pressure to succeed may have overwhelmed her."_

_When asked about the possibility of Aria breaking the all-time record of four consecutive years as Kalos Queen, a record now shared by her and Aria, Palermo downplayed the significance of the record and its role in Aria's retreat. "While [Aria] is no doubt aware of the record and its historical significance, breaking records has never been her motivation, nor mine. However, I believe in the power that narratives hold. In the minds of most, it is already assumed that Aria will easily defend her title once more. Living up to the expectations of so many, making that narrative into reality, can be a terrible burden for some. I worry that Aria feels that weight."_

_Speaking of the competition Aria faced at this year's Master Class showcase and is expected to face in her final title defense next year, Palermo questioned the strength of the field at-large and the effect that weaker competition has had on the Kalos Queen. "It has been noted by many that the last two years, particularly last year, have yielded the shallowest field of challengers Aria has faced in her reign. While I know that a weaker field would inspire some to rest on their laurels, Aria is not the type to grow complacent. Rather, I expect that she feels even greater pressure to win. I am concerned that the pressure has become too great."_

_Regarding the safety of the reigning Kalos Queen, Palermo stated that she is not concerned and does not believe that intervention from law enforcement is required on Aria's behalf, emphasizing that all signs point to Aria's withdrawal being voluntary and deliberate. Now, two weeks away from Aria's seventeenth birthday and her final year of eligibility for performance showcases, Palermo calls into question the chances that Aria resurfaces in time to defend her title for an unprecedented fifth time in May, a date now only six months away._

_"Aria is, first and foremost, a fiercely independent young woman. That attitude is something she has remained determined to keep up through all her years as a public figure, all the way back to when we first began working together almost a decade ago. If she does not wish to return to defend her title, she will not. However, I believe I speak on behalf of the entire Pokemon performance community in saying that I hope she does return."_

_Considering that Aria has always kept her private life hidden from the camera, Palermo expects that speculation will run more rampant than ever. "The terrible part of silence is what people say to fill the hole it leaves behind. Already I have heard rumors of people spotting her vacationing alone in Monego, or, if you can even believe it, working at a cafe in Lumiose! I fully expect to hear that someone thinks she is living on the moon by the time this interview reaches the public. And I can assure you that every single one of those rumors is exactly as ridiculous as they sound."_

_As for Aria's current whereabouts and activities, Palermo is left to speculate with the rest of the Kalos Queen's fans. "She could be anywhere. Frankly, I doubt that she has chosen to remain in Kalos, though. Regardless, I hope that wherever she has gone, the change of scenery is helpful to her, and that she returns from her leave of absence feeling renewed and ready to compete once again."_

* * *

Serena sat at the kitchen table with the newspaper sprawled out before her. With her head in her hands and her eyes out of focus as she stared aimlessly at the wall of text, raindrops pattered endlessly against the window. Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina filled the remaining seats at the table. Aria had locked herself in the bathroom upstairs.

"I never truly doubted the authenticity of Aria's claims about Palermo, but somehow I never understood the extent of what she described to us," said Clemont. "I never expected her claims about Palermo's influence over the media to be demonstrated to be true in such a dramatic manner."

"How can she get away with this?" said Bonnie. "It's all a bunch of lies! Dad's going to be so mad!"

"It defies all sound reasoning due to the staggering number of assumptions involved in it, but I don't know what other conclusions to draw from this other than that Aria was telling the truth and that her situation is even worse than what she explained to us."

"How does Palermo know all this stuff?" said Korrina. "Does she seriously have people watching the entire city? Has she been following us? She's gotta know Aria is here, right?"

"With the specificity she used in the interview, I think it is reasonable to assume she knows exactly where Aria is and wants to throw people off Aria's tracks so that she can make her next moves in secret," said Clemont.

"What is she going to do?" said Korrina. "Break in here? Raid the house and take Aria away?"

"What are _we _gonna do?" said Bonnie. "We can't just sit here and let her do this!"

"Exactly!" said Korrina. "We've got to stop her! Has anyone tried to stand up to her before? I bet no one has because of how famous she is! How strong could she be?"

Without looking up, Serena answered.

"Much stronger than you think," she said.

"She had that Pierre guy helping her out when you battled her, though!" said Korrina.

"In all likelihood, Palermo would have assistance no matter how one engaged her in battle," said Clemont. "It simply isn't likely that she would go anywhere unguarded."

"Plus, she caught Serena and Aria off-guard!" said Korrina. "It was an ambush! She's probably afraid to start a fair fight because she can't win one!"

Serena shook her head.

"There's no way I could have won," she said. "You didn't see what her Florges could do."

"That prissy thing?" said Korrina. "It's gotta be as old as she is! How can it possibly be that strong?"

"Given what some Pokemon lifespans are like in relation to those of humans, that's probably precisely how her Florges is as strong as Serena says," said Clemont. "If a Pokemon naturally lives much longer than humans, what looks like age may actually be more aptly characterized as experience."

"I still say we fight her!" said Korrina. "We've got Serena and Aria, who were able to hold their own, _plus_ two gym leaders! And Lucario and I can use mega evolution! I'm sure if we make the first move, she wouldn't stand a chance against all of us!"

Serena shook her head.

"Aw, come on!" said Korrina. "How can you not want to fight her after all this?"

"I saw what she can do," said Serena. "I can't beat her. None of us can. Not even you."

Korrina appeared offended.

"Have you seen me and Lucario in action lately?" said Korrina. "We're on fire!"

"Realistically, I'm not certain Lucario has a good matchup against Florges," said Clemont. "Lucario's typing is a disadvantage, especially since most of the moves he knows are fighting-type. His steel typing would be advantageous, but it balances out to neutral when combined with his fighting typing and you don't have any evident way to exploit it."

Korrina threw her hands up in the air and then let them fall.

"Oh, fine! But if we can't beat her, then who can? She _can't _be the strongest trainer in the world, can she?"

Serena shook her head.

"No, she isn't. She's not invincible."

"How strong is she, then?" said Korrina. "Are we talking like _champion_ level, or more like _elite four_ level?"

Serena shrugged and made an apologetic face.

"I don't know," she said. "That's your field, not mine. All I know is that she's too strong for us to fight, and you've got to trust me on that."

"Well, if we can't beat her, do you think you know anyone who can?" said Korrina.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, now," said Clemont. "The last thing this plot needs is to get even more people involved in it. I think it would be in our best interests to reconsider all of the new information we have acquired and spend some time think-"

"Ash."

All heads turned toward Serena.

"Ash could beat her," she said.

Silence persisted for a few seconds while everyone else took in the words.

"But Ash isn't here!" said Bonnie. "What are we gonna do? Wait for him?"

"Maybe?" Serena said with a shrug.

"When is he gonna come back?" said Bonnie.

"I don't know," said Serena. "When he's done helping Lillie in Alola, I guess."

"What if he doesn't come back?" said Korrina. "We can't just wait around forever!"

"True as that may be, I am inclined to think that waiting is, at least for the time being, a far superior option to taking action without considering the risks," said Clemont. "Furthermore, I am inclined to think that Serena is correct that Ash is likely to return to Kalos after he completes his journey in Alola."

"Why wait, though?" said Korrina. "Can't we just call him or something and tell him we need his help right now?"

Serena looked down as she shook her head.

"No."

"There's gotta be some way to contact him, right?" said Korrina.

"Unfortunately, Ash is elusive whether he intends to be or not," said Clemont. "He's not exactly gifted with technology. You may recall him constantly being amazed by my inventions."

"Doesn't he have a phone or something?" said Korrina. "Anything?"

She received three shaking heads in response.

"Aw, come on, you guys!" said Korrina. "Really?"

"He doesn't even have an email address," said Serena. "The only phone number he has goes to his home in Pallet Town. I was lucky to even get that. He's written to me a bunch of times, but all the letters are addressed from different places. I tried to write back to him, but I don't think he ever got my letter."

Korrina looked up at the ceiling and groaned.

"Are we _really _just going to sit around and wait for him to show up?" she said.

"While I agree that this is not a satisfying solution, I'm afraid it may be the best one we have at the moment," said Clemont.

"We can protect Aria, can't we?" said Bonnie. "Palermo wouldn't really break in here, would she?"

"We have no way of knowing, unfortunately," said Clemont. "It certainly seems that she is not shy about using underhanded tactics, though."

Clemont paused for a moment. An idea seemed to come to him.

"Taking that into consideration," he said, "I suppose that is all the more reason not to attempt to engage Palermo in a so-called fair fight. We have no reason to believe she would fight fair."

Korrina sighed. She folded her arms on top of the table, pouted, and then slouched over, resting her chin on top of her arms.

"Oh, alright, fine," she said. "I won't try to fight her right now."

A few seconds passed without anyone speaking. Korrina then spoke again.

"What's the plan, though?" she said. "We need to protect Aria, don't we?"

"I suppose that necessarily becomes our next course of action," said Clemont. "We will need to remain vigilant. Luckily, we have some highly capable guards on our side."

Clemont pulled a Poke Ball from his pocket and opened it. Luxray emerged from it.

"Luxray's x-ray vision enables him to see through the walls," said Clemont. He looked pleased with himself. "He can easily observe any suspicious activity taking place outside without ever setting foot out of doors."

Luxray made a gruff sound of acknowledgment, as if in agreement. For a moment, his eyes glowed red.

"And for that matter, I'm certain that Luxray is not the only Pokemon we have who is well-equipped for the job," said Clemont.

Korrina sat upright again and held up a Poke Ball of her own.

"Hey, yeah!" she said. "Lucario can sense aura! He can tell who is outside without having to look!"

Serena shifted her eyes toward her bag. Once again, she felt a strange sensation of pressure in her head. Without thinking, she reached for Delphox's Poke Ball and wrapped her hand around it.

She pulled the ball from her bag and looked at it. Somehow, she already knew the answer to the question she had not yet asked. She opened the ball anyway. Delphox materialized in the kitchen beside Luxray. The two exchanged a brief greeting.

Then, Delphox looked at Serena. Their eyes met. Without looking at anyone else, Serena spoke.

"Delphox is psychic. She can sense others, too."

* * *

The discussion at the kitchen table continued for some time, Clemont belaboring the point about setting up a schedule for guarding the house and crafting contingency plans in event of an emergency. Serena only half-listened, her mind elsewhere. In part, her mind was in Alola, wondering yet again about Ash. A greater part of her mind dwelled on what she knew was about to come, an unenviable task which she dreaded.

And so, before she knew it, she stood in front of the bathroom door in the otherwise empty hallway. With dread in her stomach, she raised her hand to the door. Weakly, she knocked her knuckles against it three times in succession.

A few seconds passed without anything happening. Then everything happened at once.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to take so long. I-"

Hurried footsteps were followed by the sudden opening of the door. Aria was already in the middle of an apology when her face appeared in the halfway-open door. As she switched off the lights and the vent fan, she cut herself off mid-sentence and looked up. Her eyes met with Serena's, and she froze.

Tentative, Serena broke the ensuing silence.

"Hi."

Right away, she felt like a fool for saying it. Aria looked confused, and perhaps even disgusted.

"Hi," Aria replied.

More silence followed. Aria opened the door the rest of the way, no longer hiding behind it.

"It's all yours if you want it," said Aria, motioning toward the toilet with a tilt of her head. She moved as if to step past Serena.

Serena held out a hand. Aria stopped, with Serena's hand hovering just above her arm.

"We need to talk," said Serena.

Aria backed up a step. Serena lowered her hand.

"About what?" said Aria.

"A lot of things," said Serena.

"What is there to say?" said Aria. "Palermo is going to do whatever it takes to get me back. She's ruined my life. I ruined our friendship. That's all there is to it."

"I want to say that I'm sorry," said Serena.

"You're sorry?" said Aria. "For what?"

Before Serena could draw breath to speak, Aria raised a finger and interrupted her.

"And _don't _say _everything."_

Serena swallowed the words in her mouth and searched for new ones.

"I'm sorry that all this has happened to you," said Serena. "You don't deserve it."

"It's not a matter of what I do or don't deserve," said Aria. "I don't want pity, either."

"I'm sorry I got mad at you."

"Don't apologize for that. You were completely justified in being angry with me. I'm the one who verbally eviscerated your relationship with your boyfriend for no reason beyond my own selfishness."

"It's not selfishness if you're thinking about others. I didn't like what you said, but you had a point. I know you really don't believe he's good for me."

"It _is_ selfishness when you see a pretty girl sleeping on the other side of the room every night who is lonely because of a situation entirely of her own making and you want to help her see that, not because you have a caring heart and want the best for her, but instead because you want to cuddle with her more than anything in the world."

Serena found herself unable to reply. While she failed to find words, she felt a faint but distinct sensation of warmth both in her chest and on her cheeks. Aria sighed, looked up at the ceiling, and slumped back against the doorframe.

_"That's _selfishness," she said. "I'm basically a victim of human trafficking and I want a hug more than I want to stop Palermo. I don't want to fight anymore. I just want to feel like somebody wants me in a way that doesn't treat me like I'm an object. And yet, I'm doing _exactly_ that to you."

Aria bit down on the insides of her lips and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath and shook her head. With her eyes still closed, she spoke again.

"I don't know what I'm going to do. You see how it is now. You and your friends are the only people in Kalos who are on my side and know what's really happening. I'm trapped. I'm powerless against her. She's going to win. It's only a matter of time."

With a grimace on her face, Aria seemed to be looking upward again behind closed eyelids. She sank a few inches deeper against the doorframe, her knees buckling.

Serena wasn't sure why she did what she did next. All she knew was that it felt like the right thing to do, and before she could stop herself, it was too late to turn back.

She stepped toward Aria and wrapped her arms around her. Aria's eyes shot open as Serena pulled her upright. Serena pulled Aria in close, bringing her head to rest over her shoulder. She held Aria tightly, but Aria remained frozen and did not return the embrace. She felt rigid in Serena's grasp.

"I meant it when I said my shoulder was available," said Serena.

In the next several seconds, everything changed. Beneath her touch, Serena felt the stiffness leave Aria's body. Aria's head went from hovering over Serena's shoulder to being buried in it. Her hands went from refusing to touch Serena to holding onto her for dear life. Serena found herself struggling to stay upright as she supported more and more of Aria's weight, a task made all the more difficult by the sudden spasms of Aria's body as the tears began to flow.

Stunned, Serena stood there in the middle of the hall, holding Aria close as she sobbed bitterly into her shoulder. Despite the obvious efforts Aria made to restrain herself, her cries remained loud. Serena saw over Aria's shoulder that Bonnie and Korrina quickly peeked their heads out into the hall to see what was happening and then retreated again behind their bedroom door. They were not discreet. The sound of the door being shut hastily echoed through the hall. If Aria noticed, she did not care. Her cries continued all the while.

Time passed. Perhaps a minute, perhaps several. All Serena knew was that the shoulder of her sweater felt damp and her legs were getting tired. Aria tried to say something, but her first attempt was unintelligible. She gathered what little composure she could and tried again.

_"Please…"_

Serena hesitated to say anything, uncertain if Aria was done speaking, or if she should even ask. Aria spoke again before Serena could say anything.

_"Please help me…"_

Again, Serena was uncertain what to say. She was less confident with each passing moment that what she was doing was helpful, or even right.

_"Please… I need you…"_

Serena held her breath for a moment, terrified of what the consequences might be if she said what came to her mind. She bit her lip, then said it anyway.

"You don't need me."

_"I need your help… I need a hero…"_

Serena said nothing. Instead, she smoothed her hand over Aria's back, holding her until the tears stopped, the moment ended, and their embrace parted. She knew Aria was right. She needed a hero. The problem was that the hero she needed, the one everybody had in mind, was not the one she wanted.

Serena did not have the heart to tell her.


	7. Taking the Time

Chapter Seven - Taking the Time

The next morning, Serena awoke to the sound of the bedroom door opening and then closing. Roused from sleep, she opened her eyes and saw Aria already fully dressed, carrying a tray toward her bed. Surprised, Serena squinted, the thin rays of morning light peeking through the shut curtains proving to be too much for her bleary eyes.

"Oh," Aria said, stopping halfway across the room. "I didn't mean to wake you. My apologies."

"It's okay," Serena said, pushing herself halfway upright and rubbing her eyes. When the stars and colors faded from sight and her vision returned, she saw Aria looking off to the side rather bashfully.

"This was meant to be a surprise for when you woke up," said Aria. She looked around as if searching for something. A moment later, she found a suitably clear space atop a box near Serena's bed and set the tray down there.

Serena looked at the tray. Her tired eyes narrowed as she struggled to understand what she saw. The tray was neatly set, with silverware aligned on both sides of the plate. The plate contained a medley of sliced fruit and a steaming bun with a half-melted pat of butter atop it. Beside the plate was a cup of tea.

And leaning against the teacup, a small envelope.

"This is still a surprise," said Serena. She sat fully upright. She took another glance at the tray, then turned to Aria. Aria was already on her way out of the room. "What is this?"

"Oh! You'll see," said Aria. Her typical poise was absent from her words. Instead, her voice was meek, overflowing with nerves.

Before Serena could reply, Aria was on her way out the door.

"I'll leave you to it," said Aria. A moment later, she slipped out the door and shut it behind her.

Alone, Serena listened to Aria's footsteps fade away down the hallway. She pushed away the sheets and swung her legs over the side of the bed, resting her feet on the floor. In stunned silence, she stared at the tray.

It looked too perfect to touch, like something out of a magazine or a cooking show on TV. Still, Serena felt compelled to reach out toward it, the envelope luring her eyes, pulling her in like a magnet.

Leaving everything else in its place, she took the envelope from the tray. Her heart and her stomach jittered. She turned it over in her hands, examining it. There was no name written on it, not even an initial. It was not even sealed. She supposed there was no need. There was no question who the recipient was meant to be, nor who the sender was. The only question was why.

Gently, Serena opened the flap of the envelope and pulled out a folded piece of paper from inside. She set the envelope aside and carefully unfolded the paper. The folds were crisp and deliberate. The feeling of the paper on her fingertips was familiar, the heavy sort of paper that gave whatever was written on it a sense of importance.

Serena smoothed out the unfolded paper over her knee. It was a note, written in neat, loopy cursive she had seen many times before.

_Serena,_

_I want to thank you for yesterday. I know it may not have seemed like much to you, but what you did for me last night meant the world to me. I needed that kind of comfort more than mere words can express. That's why I've prepared this breakfast for you, as a more tangible way to show my appreciation._

_I also want to apologize once again, this time sincerely, for what I said about your relationship with Ash. It was inappropriate of me and unfair to you both. Doubly so, I want to apologize for all the trouble I have caused in your relationship with him. Although it may be impossible to untangle cause from effect in the chain of events that has happened, the truth remains that with greater courage and better judgment, I could have taken actions that resulted in much less grief for everyone involved. I recognize the mistakes I have made and aspire to learn from them, perhaps for your sake more than anything else. You deserve better from me._

_On that note, as strange as this may sound, I would like to turn over a new leaf with you, if such a thing is even possible. Our history has been so complicated, but what I said to you last night was all true. Regardless of whether or not you agree, I feel like I need you. I need a friend. I need your friendship more than I need anything else. Regardless of the circumstances behind how we came to know each other, your friendship has been by far the brightest spot in my life in a long time. At the risk of sounding melodramatic, this is a dark time for me, and I need your light._

_So, while I am sure that this makes me sound like a __naïve__, socially awkward child, I want to say this - I hope we can be friends again. If you can accept my apology, I would love to spend some more time with you - and with everyone else, if they allow it - just being friends. I don't know what is to come, and I don't know how much time I will have here, but I want to make the most of it._

_Your friend, hopefully,_

_Aria_

Serena read the note twice. Her heart swelled. As if driven by a motor, she folded the note back up again, placed it back inside the envelope, and exited the bedroom with it in hand. Barefoot and still in her pajamas, she hurried down the stairs. The kitchen was empty, but the dim light from a lamp drew her toward the living room.

Aria sat in a chair with her legs crossed, her face hidden behind a book. She jumped when Serena entered the room, then struggled to regain her composure. She pressed the book to her face, hiding everything except her eyes.

Serena held up the envelope. Aria shrank in her seat. Serena smiled.

"Apology accepted."

* * *

The weekend came and went like a whirlwind. Fittingly, it matched the weather outside. A nasty, cold autumn storm kept everyone inside all weekend. Despite the inclement conditions, it seemed there was no shortage of things to do. The two days passed in a frenzy of activity as the reinforced pillow fort rose again. Games were played. Movies were marathoned. Cookies were baked.

By the time Monday morning came, Serena felt as though she needed another two days off to recover from the weekend. As she rose from her bed and went through her morning routine, her stomach loudly protested from days of nonstop junk. All the while, despite the discomfort, she could not help but feel content about everything that had happened. She had a great time, but perhaps more importantly, she knew Aria had as well.

Serena wondered if anyone else had felt the difference. She wasn't sure that anything had looked different from an external point of view. Something had changed beneath the surface, though. Everything felt more natural. Things felt _right._ Nothing was forced. Nothing was strained.

As she walked to work, and all throughout the day, Serena kept quiet, smiling to herself. Whether or not Aria realized it, she was making friends.

Serena's otherwise uneventful day continued entirely as normal well into the afternoon, or so it seemed. For hours, Delphox had idly helped her sort parts, levitating heavy and out-of-reach boxes using her wand. Having refined their process until it had reached a level of automation resembling an assembly line, Serena was shaken from a daydream when she realized that Delphox had not passed her another part.

She looked up and saw Delphox with her gaze fixed on a spot toward the rear of the building.

"Delphox?"

Delphox went very still. For just a moment, Serena felt an indescribable yet undeniable feeling of pressure emanating from Delphox. A moment later, Delphox rose into the air. The hairs on Serena's arms and the back of her neck stood on end.

"What's going on?"

Gliding eerily through the air to the far side of the room, Delphox gave Serena no acknowledgment at all, not a single sound nor sign. Serena scrambled to her feet, narrowly avoiding tripping over a tangled mess of wires as she ran after Delphox.

When Delphox stopped, Serena came up beside her. Delphox hovered over a cluttered workbench. Serena was left with more questions than answers.

"Huh?"

Serena tilted her head. The only object of note atop the desk was a single Poké Ball, one she assumed belonged to Ampharos. It was no surprise to see it sitting out unattended. Ampharos rarely used it.

As if to demonstrate her point, Ampharos came around the corner a few seconds later. After a brief standoff, he reached up onto the workbench, took the Poké Ball, gave Delphox a hardened look, and walked away. Delphox's eyes narrowed as he disappeared into the next room.

Bewildered, Serena stuck her head around the corner. In the next room, Meyer hummed while he stood hunched over a circuit board, a magnifying glass on a stand in between his eyes and the chip he was soldering. Unaware of everything, he remained glued to his work as Ampharos shuffled up behind him and placed the Poké Ball on a shelf.

Delphox lowered herself back to the ground. When they resumed their work a few minutes later, it was as if nothing had happened at all. The only thing different was that Serena's head hurt.

Lost in thought for the rest of the day, Serena's train of thought was interrupted upon arriving home that afternoon. She heard something of a commotion while she ascended the steps to the second floor. When she reached the top of the stairs, Bonnie came running out of Clemont's room into the hall.

"Serena! You've got to see this!" Bonnie said, pointing into Clemont's room. "Hurry!"

As soon as she had appeared, Bonnie disappeared back into Clemont's room. Alarmed, Serena stood there in the hall for a moment before chasing after Bonnie.

"What's going on?"

Serena's words received no response as she ran into Clemont's room. Clemont sat at his computer, with Bonnie standing on the tips of her toes beside him and peeking over the desk. Korrina and Aria both stood behind Clemont's chair. Everyone's eyes were glued to the screen.

Bonnie took notice of Serena's entrance, then nudged Clemont in the arm.

"Go back up!" said Bonnie. "Back to the top!"

Several pairs of eyes turned and noticed Serena, some lingering longer than others.

"Just a moment," said Clemont.

Korrina smiled at Serena. Aria remained taciturn.

"Hey, there you are!" said Korrina. "Finally!"

"What's happening?" said Serena, becoming more concerned by the moment.

"See for yourself!" said Korrina. She pointed at the screen.

Clemont pressed a button on his keyboard, and a wall of images and words zoomed past on the screen, stopping when the top of the page had been reached. It was a news article.

Serena read the headline, then saw the image beneath it. Her eyes shot wide open. Her jaw dropped, and she covered her mouth with both hands.

On the screen, she saw Ash riding on the back of an exotic, unknown Pokémon, flying above what looked like the ruins of some ancient civilization. Right behind him, with her arms wrapped around his waist, was Lillie.

* * *

_Kanto Trainer Busts Foundation, Saves Alola_

_HAU'OLI CITY - Stunning revelations shook Alola today as news broke of a massive conspiracy and cover-up perpetrated by the Aether Foundation and ultimately foiled from within with the help of a trainer from Kanto. Assisted by the children of Aether Foundation president Lusamine and the grandson of a local kahuna, Kanto native Ash Ketchum infiltrated the Aether Foundation's private artificial island and unraveled a plot involving extra-dimensional travel, extraterrestrial Pokémon, and the efforts of the Aether Foundation to hide their illicit activities._

_Ash Ketchum (pictured riding a Pokémon believed to be the legendary Lunala with Lillie, daughter of Lusamine), 16, hails from tiny, remote Pallet Town in southwest Kanto, a locale best known as where renowned Pokémon researcher Professor Samuel Oak settled and constructed his expansive laboratory and ranch. Ash, who has traveled across the world on foot for the last several years, already enjoys modest fame from a number of strong finishes in regional Pokémon League tournaments and a strange propensity for finding himself at the center of disasters involving legendary Pokémon. Ash most recently made headlines in Kalos following his runner-up finish at the Kalos Pokémon League tournament, followed only days later by foiling the attempts of Kalos criminal organization Team Flare to activate an ancient doomsday weapon. He then drew media attention again less than a month later when he and his Greninja performed a move on the beach in Monego City which generated a tsunami-like wave, narrowly avoiding the destruction of the city in the process. Days later, he defeated Kalos Elite Four member Siebold in an open challenge which was televised to the public._

_Now, Ash finds himself at the center of the greatest scandal Alola has ever experienced. Ash's involvement began four months ago after accepting an invitation to work with Professor Kukui at his private laboratory on the southern coast of Melemele Island. Upon arriving, Ash met Lillie, daughter of the now-former president of the Aether Foundation, Lusamine. Lillie, who had not been seen in public on the mainland in nearly a decade, had recently taken up residence at Professor Kukui's laboratory, working as his live-in assistant. Lillie's employment was surreptitious and kept hidden from the general public, a part of the protection afforded to her after her flight from the Aether Foundation._

_Effectively a fugitive for the last several months, Lillie's near decade-long plight is among the most disturbing details to surface from the scandal. Over a period of several years, Lillie and her brother Gladion watched their mother, known to most as a dedicated scientist and philanthropist, change from a caring, passionate parent to a cruel, dictatorial figure obsessed with ideals of beauty and willing to go to any lengths to advance her research._

_As stated in a press conference by Gladion, now serving as the acting president of the Aether Foundation, "[Lusamine] created the Aether Foundation with noble goals, but after we lost our father, she slipped deeper and deeper into obsession with her work. She used the benevolent-looking exterior of the foundation to hide what she and her team of scientists were actually researching - how to capture Pokémon from other dimensions."_

_According to Gladion and several other high-ranking members within the foundation, Lusamine became obsessed with an exotic Pokémon she encountered during an experiment in which she attempted to open a wormhole to another dimension. The particular dimension Lusamine repeatedly attempted - and eventually succeeded - to access has been studied by various other researchers for years, most notably Professor Burnet of Akala Island's Dimensional Research Laboratory. Dubbed "Ultra Space" by the scientific community, this dimension is known for its particular ease of access from Alola, at least on a microscopic level. Macroscopic dimensional breaches, achieved through phenomena known as "ultra wormholes," are a rare but well-documented natural occurrence throughout Alolan history. Typically lasting no longer than a second or two, these wormholes have historically been considered to be random, uncontrollable occurrences, and have been speculated by many to have played a role in the creation of the Alola region, if not the origin of life itself._

_Lusamine's achievements, kept secret for years, appear to lend credence to the classic creation myths, if not outright confirm them. Among the staggering revelations coming from the Aether Foundation is not only Lusamine's success at creating a relatively stable macroscopic wormhole between our dimension and Ultra Space, but the confirmation of life in Ultra Space. According to Gladion and others close to the situation, Lusamine's obsession began upon seeing the ghostly figure of an extraterrestrial Pokémon which scientists at the foundation named "Nihilego." Stated by those familiar with it to have an unnerving presence that can alter one's state of mind, Lusamine was "never the same again" after her first encounter with Nihilego, according to Gladion. Over the course of the next ten years, Lusamine set about a maddening and increasingly compulsive effort not merely to see Nihilego again, but to capture it and bring it to our dimension._

_Faced with many setbacks in her pursuit of Nihilego, Lusamine and her team of scientists undertook several projects to overcome the difficulties in capturing an extraterrestrial Pokémon, ranging from the benign to the blatantly unethical. Among these projects is the development of a special type of Poké Ball for capturing Pokémon in Ultra Space, spurred by the discovery that traditional Poké Balls are non-functional in Ultra Space. This development allowed Lusamine to eventually succeed in her quest, if only briefly._

_More alarmingly, however, Lusamine and her team engaged in experimentation with Pokémon, of both earthly and otherworldly origin, that clearly violated all accepted ethical conventions of Pokémon research. Upon the discovery that Nihilego and several other extraterrestrial Pokémon species were too powerful for most earthly Pokémon to fight, the Aether Foundation conducted a years-long genetic engineering project to create a unique Pokémon designed to be a "beast killer." The discovery of this genetic engineering effort, which produced a staggering number of grotesque failures before its eventual partial success, led to Gladion's escape from the foundation two years ago with the genetically engineered Pokémon in his possession._

_The "beast killer" created by the Aether Foundation, originally codenamed "Type: Full," was intended to be a Pokémon that possessed traits of all known Pokémon types. While the foundation's scientists succeeded in creating an artificial Pokémon of great strength, the experiment was considered a failure internally as the Pokémon produced had the opposite of the intended traits - that is, it had no type at all. Renamed "Type: Null," the foundation planned to perform experiments on it until its death. Gladion, upon discovering this, fled from the foundation with Type: Null in his possession._

_Following Gladion's escape, another experiment performed by the foundation yielded an unexpected windfall as they acquired a small, gaseous Pokémon which originated from Ultra Space. This Pokémon, given the name "Cosmog," appeared powerless at a glance but in actuality possessed the power to jump between dimensions. Intending to exploit this ability to create a larger, more stable wormhole between our dimension and Ultra Space, Lusamine ordered her team of scientists to place Cosmog under permanent solitary confinement and subject it to duress until it used its powers out of desperation._

_Upon learning that her mother intended to torture Cosmog to death if necessary, Lillie followed in her brother's footsteps and escaped from the Aether Foundation with the help of Wicke, one of the foundation's highest-ranking administrators. Wicke, who conducted her sabotage of Lusamine's plans in secret for years, was the only ally Lillie and Gladion had behind the walls of the remote, isolated artificial island the foundation called home._

_"They were imprisoned by their mother," Wicke said of Lillie and Gladion. "For nearly ten years, [Lusamine] kept them captive on this island and subjected them to verbal and mental abuse that no child should ever have to experience. I did everything I could to protect them from her."_

_Operating in secret directly beneath Lusamine's observation, Wicke orchestrated Lillie's escape with Cosmog and planned a rendezvous with Professor Burnet on Akala Island. Burnet then escorted Lillie to her husband's laboratory on Melemele Island, where she was placed under Kukui's protection as his apparent assistant, afforded relative anonymity due to the laboratory's isolated, rural location._

_When Ash entered the picture, Lillie's mission changed. Her hopes of being able to return Cosmog to its homeworld had previously been nothing more than a dream, her own role relegated to merely hiding with Cosmog in rural obscurity. With Ash's help, however, her dream became possible. Over the course of the next three months, the two of them traveled around Alola with Hau, grandson of kahuna Hala. While Ash and Hau both steadily completed several trials of the island challenge and served as Lillie's bodyguards, Lillie searched for clues for how to return Cosmog to Ultra Space._

_Their relatively stable arrangement fell apart a few weeks ago when Lillie was kidnapped by members of the notorious criminal gang Team Skull while traveling on Ula'ula Island. Gladion, who worked for some time as an independent agent for Team Skull, knew of the organization's ties to the Aether Foundation and joined forces with Ash and Hau to infiltrate the foundation's headquarters._

_Aided by Wicke, who granted them access to restricted areas, Ash, Hau, and Gladion broke into the Aether Foundation and fought their way to Lusamine's private chambers, during the course of which the details of the plot were exposed. Upon confronting Lusamine, they found Lillie being held prisoner and, perhaps most shockingly, Team Skull leader Guzma working in cooperation with Lusamine. Using a device designed to compress Cosmog, Lusamine forced Cosmog to create a wormhole to Ultra Space, which both she and Guzma entered before dissipating._

_Determined to retrieve her mother from Ultra Space, Lillie traveled with Ash to Poni Island and took Cosmog, now reduced to a tiny, embryonic form, to the Altar of the Moone. Upon moonrise, Cosmog underwent a drastic transformation into what is believed to be Lunala, a Pokémon known only from its role in the legends of Alola's creation. Lunala then transported Ash and Lillie to Ultra Space, where the two of them found Guzma in hiding and Lusamine under Nihilego's control._

_Nihilego, a Pokémon which seems to be parasitic in nature, had undergone a bizarre sort of fusion or coupling with Lusamine and assumed control of her mind. Possessed, Lusamine engaged Ash in battle. Though Ash defeated her, Lusamine then attempted to attack Ash and Lillie directly, at which point Lunala intervened and swiftly defeated Nihilego, ejecting it from Lusamine's body and releasing its hold on her mind, albeit at a great physical toll to Lusamine. At this time of writing, Lusamine remains in critical condition after hovering near death on the night of her return from Ultra Space._

_After the conclusion of the battle, Lunala retrieved Ash, Lillie, Lusamine, and Guzma and returned to our dimension, then departed for parts unknown, leaving those involved, and the entire world, to sort through the fallout of the bizarre chain of events it brought to an end._

* * *

Serena lay on her bed, staring vacantly at the ceiling. Her heart throbbed with every single beat. She had no way to describe what she felt. It was an indecipherable amalgamation of contradictory emotions, too many feelings at once to explain. It was a maelstrom of shock, excitement, relief, jealousy, happiness, sadness, pride, regret, hope, fear, and so many other things all at once. It paralyzed her.

There was too much to process. Too many words. Too many images. Too much new information. As the pieces of the puzzle fell into place, Serena found that the puzzle was larger than she ever imagined. Every answer led to another question.

She knew now why Ash had not written in so long, nor ever written her back. He had been fighting for Lillie's life and the world's safety for weeks without end, first out at sea and then in the remote wilderness. But would she hear from him again now? Did he ever get her letter at all? If he did write, where would he send the letter? Would he call? Would he do anything at all?

And most of all, when was he coming back?

Was his mission over now? Surely he would complete the island challenge, wouldn't he? How long would that take? He was on an incredible pace before, but would he continue it now? With Alola safe, what was the rush? Would he rush back to her?

Despite all the questions that lingered on Serena's mind, there was one thing in particular that stuck in her head, something she wished she hadn't seen.

Lillie, riding on Lunala with Ash.

She looked different. Her hat and her dress were gone. Her hair was drawn back in a ponytail. Serena recognized the clothes Lillie wore. She had been there when Lillie tried them on and purchased them. Lillie had been so reticent then, so frightened to try anything different. She did not look frightened now. Serena had never seen her look so happy.

And the way Lillie had her arms wrapped around Ash, the way she leaned into him for support, the way she pulled herself so close to him… it haunted her. It didn't matter what Lillie had told her. It didn't matter that the situation obviously warranted holding onto him like that. The image was burned into her mind. Like a permanent stain to her vision, it seemed to linger there even when she closed her eyes.

Serena rolled onto her side and pulled the bedsheets all the way over her head. She knew, now more than ever, that this was the price she paid for her actions. To feel all the shame and regret, to contemplate the hypotheticals and yearn for things which never came to pass, this was her penance.

She had done it to herself.

Time passed. She remained alone. When she heard the bedroom door open, she played dead beneath the sheets, hoping to fool whoever entered into believing she had had a good cry and fallen asleep. She especially wanted to fool Aria.

Naturally, it didn't work.

"Hey."

A hand settled on Serena's arm, the sheet separating them. It was Aria's voice. Serena neither responded nor moved.

"I know you're awake," said Aria. "Nobody sleeps like that."

Serena let out a puff of air through her nose. She cut right to the chase.

"Do you _really _want to talk to me about this?"

"Honestly, no, I don't," said Aria. "But I care about you. That matters more than what I want."

"You've suffered enough already because of me," said Serena. "Why put yourself through this?"

"You know, I could say the exact same thing to you."

"Could you not?"

"No promises. I already said it, in a sense."

Serena groaned. She gripped a fistful of the sheet and pulled, uncovering her head. She gave Aria a sour look. Aria bore her classic enigmatic smile. It frustrated Serena to no end.

"Just tell me whatever _wisdom_ you have for me," said Serena. "I don't want to play our guessing game again."

"I don't want to give you wisdom. I don't have any."

"Then what is this? Sympathy?"

"If you'll let it be, yes."

"Do you _really_ want to sympathize with me about my self-inflicted problems with my _boyfriend?"_

"Not really, but I _do _want to help you feel better in whatever way I can."

"You can't help me. Nobody can. I did this to myself."

"That doesn't mean you have to face it alone."

"I did this to myself because I _deserve_ it," said Serena.

She turned her head away from Aria and buried her head in the pillow.

"I just didn't realize it would hurt this much," said Serena. "You know, seeing him. Seeing _them._ I could have been there, too. But I messed it all up. It's all my fault."

Serena heard a shuffling noise. She turned over and saw Aria take a seat on top of a box.

"Do you wish you were with them?" Aria asked.

"Of course I do," said Serena. "I wish that every day. I just… _really _wish it right now, more than ever."

"It must be tough, seeing them after all this time."

"Yeah, but-"

Serena paused and shook her head.

"It couldn't have happened any other way. I wouldn't have been able to stand the pressure. I was too insecure. I would have cracked. I pretty much lost my mind in just the short time I was there with them."

Aria crossed her legs.

"Well, I'm glad you found your mind again," she said.

"I'm not so sure I did," said Serena.

"If you hadn't, you wouldn't question it."

Serena looked at the floor for a while before she spoke again.

"I never apologized to Lillie. I really wish I had."

"It's not too late, you know."

"I know, but I can't do it yet, and that's the worst part. She's with Ash. I can't get in touch with either of them. I have to wait for _both_ of them."

"You don't _have_ to wait."

"What else am I supposed to do?"

Aria still wore her enigmatic smile as she shrugged.

"I don't know," said Aria. "You don't have to sit around waiting for life to _happen_ to you, though."

"So, what, then?" said Serena. "Do you think I should go to Alola and search for them?"

"That sounds like a terrible idea."

Serena flopped onto her back and sighed.

"Yeah, it is," she said. "I wouldn't even know what to do if I saw Lillie. How am I supposed to interact with someone I hurt so badly?"

"I ask myself the same question every day."

Serena looked at Aria again and found that Aria's smile had been replaced with a much flatter, more earnest expression. Silence followed, long enough for Serena to look away and back again without any exchange of words.

"You're not alone," said Aria.

Serena still did not speak. She looked at her own feet.

"There's that old saying, _misery loves company,"_ said Aria. "It's a cliché, but clichés become clichés for a reason."

Serena sat up. She met eyes with Aria.

"You don't want to be alone, do you?" said Serena.

"No," said Aria. "You don't want to be alone either, do you?"

"I _feel _like I should be."

"But what do you _want?"_

"I want Ash to come back to me, and to make things up with Lillie, and for everything to be okay again."

"None of that involves you suffering by yourself, does it?"

"...no."

"Then… can you let me in?"

Aria's face rendered Serena silent for a moment. Her poise absent once again, Serena saw genuine vulnerability in Aria's eyes.

"I want to," said Serena.

"Are you afraid?" said Aria.

"I'm afraid of everything," said Serena. "You saw Lillie in that article. She's harmless. I'm even afraid of _her."_

Aria looked away and tilted her head to the side.

"She's a real cutie, though," said Aria.

"Yeah, she is," said Serena.

Aria's eyes snapped back to meet Serena's.

"Don't take that the wrong way!" said Serena, defensively holding up her hands. "She's super pretty. Of _course_ I would feel weird about Ash being alone with her!"

Aria's eyebrows raised ever so slightly.

"If you say so," said Aria.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I'm trying to take your words at face value against my better judgment."

Serena did not respond for a while. Instead, she looked away and thought. When she spoke again, she saw Aria doing the same.

"So yeah," said Serena. "I want everything to be okay again. Between me and everyone. And I don't want to be afraid anymore."

Without looking at her, Aria nodded.

"That does sound nice," she said.

"What about you, though?" said Serena. "What do _you_ want?"

Aria considered the question for a while, tight-lipped.

"I also don't want to be afraid anymore," she said. "I want to be able to have all the things regular people take for granted. I want to be able to go wherever I want without hiding who I am. I want to be able to leave this house without worrying about being abducted. I want… I want to be a normal girl."

Unsure what to say, Serena only nodded.

Aria looked at the curtain, drawn tight over the window. She grimaced.

"And I want to go out," she said.

"It must be hard being stuck-"

"...with you."

* * *

"I understand why you want to do this, but I cannot advise it," said Clemont. "This is dangerous. There is simply too much risk involved."

Serena stared flatly back at him.

"Something explodes in your room every day, but that doesn't stop you," she said.

"That's completely different!" said Clemont. "This is a very serious situation and we cannot afford to jeopardize her safety."

Seated on the floor next to Clemont's desk chair, Korrina looked up at him.

"Oh, come on! Lighten up!" she said. "If Aria is really as good at disguising herself as Serena says, _and_ we have our Pokémon keeping watch, what's the big deal? What could go wrong?"

Clemont grasped at the air, searching for words.

"There are so many problems with that logic that I don't know where to begin my rebuttal," he said.

"Oh, forget it," said Korrina, waving him off. She looked at Serena. "Look, I think it's a great idea. If we're gonna vote, my vote cancels out his."

"Well, thank you," said Serena. She looked at Clemont again. "But Clemont, I need your support. We can't do this without your help. We've got to do it as a team."

"I continue to think this is ill-advised," said Clemont. "No appeal to emotion will convince me otherwise."

"We have almost two weeks to plan this," said Serena. "We can make it work!"

Clemont crossed his arms.

"No matter how long she's been here and no matter how much she wants to, I remain convinced that it is too dangerous for Aria to leave."

"Oh yeah?" said Korrina, glaring up at him. "How about I never kiss you again? Would that change your mind?"

Serena's eyes widened. Clemont waved his hands, urging Korrina to stop.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves, now!" he stammered, rapidly turning red. "Let's work through this rationally!"

"Okay then," said Korrina. "Since you're so worried about it, tell us. What's the worst that could happen? Palermo finds out we're hiding Aria and tries to get her back?"

"No," said Clemont. "The worst possible outcome is something far worse, and I know you understand that."

Korrina went silent for a bit and chewed on Clemont's words, then looked at Serena.

"And what's the best that could happen?" she asked.

"Aria has the best day of her life," said Serena.

* * *

As the next two weeks passed, Serena was convinced that Aria would discover what was being planned right beneath her nose. After all, Serena knew she had a way of sleuthing every other possible bit of information out of her. It was like Aria had Luxray's vision, but for her brain. Keeping a secret for so long should have been impossible.

Somehow, it wasn't. The real challenge was the increasingly difficult task of figuring out where to hide everything, as the spare bedroom became more and more organized by the day. Every afternoon when Serena returned home, there was less clutter and more floor visible than ever before.

But the day came. And when it did, Serena could not stop smiling as she found herself standing beside Aria's bed first thing in the morning. For a few moments, she savored the irony of the role reversal that was about to take place.

And then, she woke Aria.

Serena placed a hand on Aria's shoulder and jostled her, first gently, then harder. Aria's eyes opened, and for a moment she looked stupefied, unable to understand anything that was happening. Her unfocused eyes landed on Serena, and she blinked heavily a few times, her eyelids weighed down with sleep.

"Good morning!" said Serena, grinning with both hands behind her back.

"Good morning…?" Aria replied.

"Wake up, sleepyhead!" said Serena. "It's a big day!"

"Huh?"

"You know what day it is," said Serena.

Aria blinked heavily again, looking either uncertain or disbelieving. She pushed herself upright.

"What are you talking about?" she said.

Aria's eyes moved from Serena's beaming face down to where her hands were hidden behind her back.

"And what are you hiding?" said Aria. "What's going on?"

Serena revealed her hands. In them, she held a large, black shopping bag, with tissue paper covering the opening at the top. Almost giddy, she held it out to Aria.

"Happy birthday!" said Serena.

Aria's eyes widened, and she backed away from the bag ever so slightly, her lips parted in disbelief. She stared at the bag for a moment, and then Serena.

"Is this… for me?" said Aria. She pointed at the bag.

Serena gave her an enthusiastic nod.

"Of course it is!" said Serena.

"I…"

Aria moved as if to reach out and take the gift bag, but she froze as soon as she began to move. Stunned, she sat there staring at the bag. After several seconds passed, she shook her head.

"Thank you," she said. She looked up at Serena, astonished. "I… don't know what to say."

"You don't have to say anything," said Serena. She placed the package in Aria's unexpecting arms. "Just open it!"

Wonder in her eyes, Aria reached for the tissue paper covering the contents of the gift bag. Carefully, she pulled it away, then reached inside.

"Wh-"

Surprise registered on Aria's face. She pulled a box out of the bag. It was wrapped only in the plastic which covered it on store shelves. It was fairly large and was covered with the faces of impossibly perfect-looking women and glamorous font. Aria turned the box over in her hands. A diagram on the back displayed a variety of skin-tone colors and their complements.

It was a makeup kit. Agape, Aria looked up at Serena.

"You got this for me?" said Aria.

"Mhmm!" Serena replied, nodding while grinning ear to ear.

"But… why?"

"There's something else in there," said Serena. "And also some things that wouldn't fit in the bag. Take a look!"

Aria looked inside the bag again. She reached in and pulled out an envelope. Her name was written on the front.

Tentative, she flipped it over, slid her finger under the flap, and opened it. There was a card inside, with an image of a cake on the front. Aria opened it. There was a handwritten message inside. With her hands folded, Serena tried to remain still and wait patiently while Aria read.

_Aria,_

_Happy birthday!_

_I wanted to get you something special for your birthday, so I worked together with everyone else to plan a big surprise for you!_

_I'm sure you're wondering about the makeup kit. It's only one part of the surprise, and it was the only part that could fit in the gift bag I got you! There was no way I could fit so much clothing in one bag. Besides, it's way more fun to keep you in suspense for a little while longer. Now I see why you do it to me!_

_So, makeup, clothes, what's all this for? We're going out! All of us, together. After being stuck here for so long, you deserve a day to celebrate. We've got to disguise you first, though. As sad as that is, I figured that maybe it could be an opportunity to have some fun. So, I got you this makeup kit with all sorts of different shades and a big selection of clothes you can mix and match! You can dress up any way you like!_

_I hope you like all the things I got for you. We're going to have a really fun day!_

_-Serena_

As Aria read the card, she placed one hand over her open mouth to cover it and then held it there. Even when she finished reading the card, she simply placed it down on her bed and continued to sit there in stunned silence with her hand over her mouth.

A bit uncertain about Aria's reaction, Serena inched toward the door.

"Let me go get something," said Serena. "I'll be right back."

Aria nodded, and Serena stepped out of the room. She quickly went down the hall to Bonnie's room, where Bonnie and Korrina were both still asleep. She tiptoed into the room, opened the closet, and pulled out a large stack of garments. Then, she hurried back down the hall.

When Serena reentered the bedroom, she found Aria reading the card again. Her mouth uncovered, her lips were tight. She was very red in the face. It looked like she was trying to restrain herself from smiling, and failing. Serena set the stack of clothes down on the bed, and Aria set down the card. Wide-eyed, she stared at the pile. It was more than a foot tall. She covered her mouth again.

"These are all yours," said Serena. "Have fun!"

* * *

A few hours later, Aria descended the stairs, transformed. Her perpetual ensemble of black and white was gone. She wore a baggy red sweater, the neckline and lower hem of which were all that was visible beneath a sleek gray peacoat. She wore light blue jeans, and boots of a color similar to her coat. She had drawn her hair back into a single, long braid. Her makeup made her look paler than she truly was, with flatter features and heavier eyelids. She looked nothing like Aria.

Serena wasn't sure why she was so astonished. It was far from the first time she had seen Aria completely change her appearance on a whim. Perhaps it was that Aria had found a combination of all the new clothes that had never occurred to Serena. Perhaps it was the disarming way her eyes looked so familiar yet so unfamiliar at the same time. Or perhaps it was the gigantic smile on her face.

Aria held out her arms and made a dramatic pose.

"Ta-da!" she said.

Serena felt incapable of speech. She did not have to. Everyone else filled in for her.

"Whoa!" said Korrina. "What a change!"

"Indeed!" said Clemont. "If I did not know better, I would have no idea it was you. A remarkable transformation."

"How did you do that so fast?" said Bonnie. "You look so different!"

One thing in particular that made Aria look different was how bashful she seemed.

"Oh, you learn some tricks when you have people fussing over your makeup on a daily basis for years," she said. "It's not as difficult as it looks."

"Are you kidding?" said Korrina. "I'd look like a clown if I tried to do that myself."

"You detest wearing makeup, though," said Clemont. "I've heard your diatribe about it several times."

"Do you know how much that stuff hurts when you sweat and it gets in your eyes?" said Korrina.

Aria furtively raised a hand.

"I sure do," she said.

"You've elaborated on the subject before," Clemont said to Korrina. "You made the experience sound extraordinarily unpleasant."

"It is, actually," said Aria.

"What can I say? It's just not for me," Korrina said with a shrug. She turned her attention to Aria again. "You look great, though!"

"Thank you," said Aria, bowing her head. She stuffed her hands into the front pockets of her coat.

"How are you always so pretty?" Bonnie said, looking up at Aria with stars in her eyes.

"You flatter me, really," said Aria. She shook her head. "It's experience, that's all."

When Aria finished speaking, she was quick to make eye contact with Serena. Serena's heart jumped.

"So, what's next?" said Aria. She sounded eager to change the subject.

* * *

When they left the house a few minutes later, Serena was convinced for a moment that they would be jumped by thugs as soon as they were outside. The process of exiting the front door was like something out of an action movie. First, Luxray scanned the whole area with his x-ray vision. Then, Lucario and Serena's Delphox stepped out the door together. Lucario jumped up to the roof and surveyed the whole area again, and Delphox signaled with the flame on her wand that all was clear.

While they stood on the front stoop and Clemont locked the door, Serena kept both hands firmly on her bag, ready to pull out a Poké Ball and fight at any moment. The moment never came. Instead, Lucario hopped down from the roof, Delphox met them at the bottom of the front steps, and Luxray checked both ways up and down the block before proceeding out to the sidewalk.

It was a crisp, bright autumn day. Many of the trees along the lane were shedding their leaves, already half bare. Leaves swirled about in the breeze. There was a taste of the coming winter in the air. Aria held a hand to her forehead above her eyes, shielding them from the sunlight. She squinted in apparent discomfort.

"Are you okay?" said Serena.

"It's been a while since I've been out in the sun," said Aria. "I need some time for my eyes to adjust, that's all."

"I should have thought to get you a pair of sunglasses," Serena said as they all descended the steps onto the sidewalk.

"It's alright," said Aria. "I'd rather not wear them. They make it kind of obvious that I'm trying to hide something. I'd much rather hide in plain sight."

Serena figured that it was already obvious that they were hiding something. Luxray led the way, and both Lucario and Delphox kept watch in the rear. Whether it was intentional or not, the group constantly seemed to form a defensive perimeter around Aria. Serena was certain it had to have been obvious that they were guarding her, but nobody they passed on the street seemed to take any notice at all.

A short while later, they arrived at their first destination. Aria peered at the sign on the building, confused.

_Jailbreak_

"What is this?" she said.

"An escape room!" said Bonnie.

"A what?" said Aria.

"It's like a video game, except in real life," said Korrina. "We get locked in a room, and there are a bunch of puzzles in it, and we've got to solve all the puzzles and find our way out before our time runs out. It's super fun!"

Aria did not appear convinced. She looked at Serena, but Clemont spoke.

"We understand that you're undoubtedly very tired of being locked inside places, but we thought that perhaps it might be a cathartic experience for you to have the chance to break out of jail, more or less literally."

Aria raised an eyebrow at the sign. The corner of her mouth turned upward.

"Huh," she said, sounding uncertain but intrigued. "Okay, then. Let's do it."

* * *

After an unnecessary amount of sign-in paperwork and an explanation of the rules, all of which was administered by a man both dressed as and roleplaying as a prison guard, the five of them left their Pokémon at the front desk and were led into a room containing four separate jail cells, a private office with _WARDEN_ embossed on the frosted glass window, and a variety of random objects hanging from the walls and placed in each of the cells. Bonnie went into the same cell as Korrina, and Serena, Aria, and Clemont each occupied the other three cells. The guard locked them all inside their cells, started a one-hour countdown timer beside the door, then exited the room and locked the door behind him.

A fabulous disaster ensued.

The first challenge they faced was the realization that the keys to each cell were contained in another cell. They all had to solve a puzzle in their own cell and then use the various objects their cell contained to pass the keys to the other cells. This went well until they discovered that Clemont would have to start the chain of unlocking everyone by passing the key inside his cell across the hall to Bonnie and Korrina by dangling it from a broomstick.

Serena didn't watch. She knew what would happen. The clinking of metal on concrete confirmed it.

With the key stranded in the middle of the hall, the guard came over the intercom and said, remaining in-character, that he could pretend he didn't see anything and give them a hand. Clemont refused, stating that it was in violation of the rules of the game, and that they would have to find another way to get the keys across the hall.

Thus, twenty minutes later, after much theorycrafting and experimentation, a large pile of objects sat in the middle of the corridor between the cells, each one having nudged the key a little bit closer. At last, Korrina was able to reach through the bars, take the key, and quickly unlock everyone else.

Then came the lock on the door to the warden's office. It was secured by an elaborate combination lock, with letters instead of numbers. Clues scattered around the cells and the corridor all hinted to an elaborate cipher that obscured the combination. Once again, Clemont pontificated at great length about algorithms that could be used to bypass the cipher, assuming a certain maximum number of bits of entropy. While Aria appeared to do her best to listen to him, Serena quickly lost track of the lecture. Bonnie and Korrina completely ignored him, trying random combinations on the lock.

After several minutes of attempts, Korrina held the lock up to her ear and slowly turned each dial, listening for a click. Just as Clemont paused his speech and asked her what she was doing, the lock opened.

Even more puzzles awaited them inside the warden's office. There were three safes embedded in the walls, each of which with its own combination to be determined. An open briefcase containing several documents sat on the desk. The group split into three to open the three safes. Bonnie and Korrina once again attempted to crack the lock on theirs, Bonnie slowly turning the dial and Korrina listening with her ear pressed to the door. Serena and Aria sifted through an envelope full of documents like mad, the snippets of some kind of plot of corruption and abuse unfolding at their fingertips as they scoured the papers for anything that could conceal the combination. Clemont, meanwhile, talked to himself while he held his chin and stared at the door of his safe, doing math in his head.

Serena and Aria opened their safe first, which itself contained a vital clue for opening Bonnie and Korrina's safe. Likewise, theirs contained a clue for opening Clemont's safe. When they presented the clue to Clemont, he appeared as though his reality had been shattered, and he complained that he would have to re-seed the starting point for the calculations he had been doing and start from scratch.

And then their time expired.

Everyone was quiet when they left the building and emerged onto the street again. Bonnie walked with her arms folded tight and a pout on her face, casting occasional glances at Clemont. Clemont kept his hands in his pockets and his head down. Serena and Aria walked behind the others. As before, they were guarded on all sides by Luxray, Lucario, and Delphox.

"I'm really sorry, everyone," Clemont said after a few minutes had passed. "That was entirely my fault."

His comment drew another meaningful glare from Bonnie.

"Why'd you have to say no to that guy's help?" said Bonnie. "And why'd you have to try to use science to get us out? It was a game!"

"I think I got too immersed," said Clemont. He laughed nervously and scratched his cheek. "I let it deceive me into thinking it was like real life. A foolish mistake, I admit. I'm embarrassed, to tell the truth."

Bonnie humphed and looked away.

"I can't speak for anyone else, but _I_ had fun," said Aria.

Heads turned to face her. Momentary surprise crossed her face.

"I did!" said Aria. "I've never done anything like that before. Yes, it would have been nice if we had actually escaped, but it was still a good time. Plus, it will make for a funny story, one day."

There was a round of general agreement that if Aria enjoyed it, that was all that mattered. Once the moment had passed, and the mood had lightened a bit, it occurred to Serena that once again Korrina was leading them to somewhere unknown.

Serena asked, and Korrina answered. They were going to the roller rink.

* * *

It was not until Serena attempted to stand up with roller skates on her feet that she felt at all intimidated by the idea of skating for the first time. It seemed so easy, or at least easier than ice skating. After all, with four wheels on each foot, how hard could it be?

She soon discovered that the answer was _very._

As soon as she placed her full weight on her feet, she began to slide away, toward the waist-high wall that surrounded the rink. Her knees locked up and she stuck her arms out for balance, slowly rolling toward the wall. She yelped as she bumped into it, then grabbed onto it with both hands. She focused on keeping her feet completely still, convinced that they would both fly out from underneath her at the slightest twitch.

Meanwhile, she watched as a group of kids effortlessly raced around the rink, chasing each other at a dizzying speed. Just as she was beginning to feel particularly incompetent, she saw Bonnie enter the rink. Bonnie did not move easily or naturally, but at least she was upright without holding onto anything. She pulled up in front of Serena on the other side of the wall.

"Is this your first time skating?" said Serena.

"Nope!" Bonnie said, grinning. "Korrina's been teaching me and Clemont. I'm a lot better than him, though!"

Bonnie stuck her tongue out of the corner of her mouth. Serena followed Bonnie's eyes and saw Korrina slowly backing her way onto the rink, leading Clemont with both hands. Clemont appeared to be equally terrified and embarrassed, visibly trembling and red in the face.

Aria rolled up next to Serena, coming to an easy stop in front of the wall. She had a smile on her face.

"This should be fun," she said. "Ready to give it a shot?"

"I hope so," said Serena.

"First time?" said Aria.

"Yes."

"Me too," said Aria.

_"What?"_

Serena eyed Aria up and down in disbelief. Nothing about her body language communicated that this was her first time on skates. She appeared loose, natural, comfortable, all things which Serena was not.

"It doesn't seem so hard," said Aria. "As long as you keep your balance and think about how you want to move, it should be easy."

The only thing Serena could think about was not falling.

Aria rolled toward the entrance to the rink. She beckoned for Serena to follow. Serena eased her way toward the entrance, pulling herself along the wall, rigid as a statue.

When she reached the entrance, she stopped, horrified to see that there was a short ramp that descended onto the rink. Aria stood in front of it, a short distance away on the floor, looking very amused. Behind Aria, Serena saw Korrina and Clemont pass by, Korrina still going backward as she led Clemont with both hands at a glacial pace.

"What's the matter?" said Aria. "It's just a little slope. It's no big deal.

"How did you stop?" said Serena.

"These things have brakes, you know," said Aria. She pointed toward her heels. Serena looked at her own feet and saw the brake pads there.

While she contemplated, she was embarrassed to hear someone behind her clear their throat. She hurried to move out of the way as a group of kids passed her and entered the rink.

Meanwhile, Aria stood there with her hands in her back pockets.

"Come on, you can do this!" she said.

As if on cue, Clemont fell down on the far side of the rink. Korrina struggled to pull him to his feet as his legs flailed about beneath him.

"I'll be right here if anything goes wrong," said Aria.

"But you don't know what you're doing, either, do you?" said Serena.

"Not really," said Aria. "What's the worst that could happen? We both fall down and have to get back on our feet? No big deal."

"But… in front of all these people?"

"You're really not cut out for life on the stage, are you?" said Aria.

"No," said Serena. "I don't want to mess up in front of everyone! It hurt so bad to fail with all eyes on me that I cut my hair off and threw it into the sea the next morning!"

"Are you going to do that if you fall down now?"

"No."

"Good!" said Aria. "I think we can both agree that would be an overreaction. And besides, you're prettier with longer hair anyway."

Serena's eyes shot wide open.

"Now, come on!" said Aria. She removed her hands from her pockets and beckoned Serena toward her. "I'm waiting for you!"

Flustered, Serena looked at the ground. She was convinced that she would lose her balance the second she began rolling down the ramp.

She had no time to contemplate it, though, because someone bumped her from behind. She went rolling, a hurried apology from a stranger following her but going unheard. Before she could comprehend it all, she was rolling toward Aria at a speed far too great for her comfort. She had no idea what to do.

"Watch out!" she said.

Aria did not watch out. Instead, she opened her arms and braced herself. Serena shut her eyes and winced, preparing for the inevitable impact. It was sure to be a disaster.

They collided. Serena expected them both to go toppling over, falling to the ground in a tangled, messy heap. Instead, she felt Aria's hands grip her arms. Her momentum transferred, the two of them went rolling together, slower. Serena opened her eyes and found Aria holding onto her at arm's length, a smile on her face.

"I told you," said Aria. "I've got you."

They drifted further toward the center of the rink. Serena bit the inside of her lip, yearning for the security of the short wall. All around the rink, she saw people walking along it, finding their balance.

Aria let go. Immediately, Serena stiffened like a board.

"Please don't let go!" she hurried to say. Just as quickly, Aria took hold again. Serena bowed her head, feeling heat rushing to her face. "I… need something to hold onto."

"Here," said Aria. Her grip moved from Serena's arms to her hands. She began to move away, and Serena moved with her. "Let's go back to the wall. You can practice there."

Serena was as unable to say no as she was to resist Aria's pull. Aria pulled her back to the wall. With one hand on it for guidance and the other held out for balance, Serena followed Aria as they made their way around the perimeter of the rink.

One lap turned into several. Serena kept quiet, focusing on her balance. It felt easier minute by minute. As she and Aria looped around the rink, she saw Korrina continuing to lead Clemont, with Bonnie skating around them, passing them by, and coming back again and again.

She could see Korrina and Clemont talking, though she could never hear the words. All the while, the redness in Clemont's face never went away, and Korrina never stopped smiling. Serena could only imagine what they were talking about. Her thoughts lingered there until Aria turned around in front of her and let go of the wall.

"How do you feel now?" said Aria. "Do you think you're ready to try it without holding onto the wall?"

Serena lifted her hand up from the wall and rolled for a few seconds without support. Nerves overtook her, and she grabbed onto the wall again.

"Maybe," she said.

"We can stay close to the wall," said Aria. She pulled up beside Serena. "Give it a try. It's not as hard as you think."

Once again, Serena lifted her hand. She moved without touching the wall for several seconds this time before reaching for it again. She slowed down, and Aria passed her. She pursed her lips.

"Is this really your first time doing this?" said Serena.

Aria stopped and turned around. She nodded.

"How do you make this look so easy?" said Serena. "What do you have that I don't?"

"Years of professional dance experience," said Aria. "I'm not an expert by any means, but I think it's a safe guess that spending most of my life in dance school has really helped me with my balance."

Serena frowned.

"I guess farm work hasn't been very helpful with that," she said. "I could probably stay on a Rhyhorn's back for longer than you, though."

"Probably," said Aria. "Have you ever been thrown off a Rhyhorn?"

"More times than I can count," said Serena.

"Why are you so afraid of falling here, then?"

Serena looked away.

"Because I don't want you to have to pick me up," she said. "This was supposed to all be for you. I don't want you to have to spend all your time looking after me. This was supposed to be a day of freedom for you."

"I'm having a great time," said Aria.

"Is this what you want to be doing?"

"I said I wanted to do this _with you. _Remember?"

"Yes, but-"

Serena stopped mid-sentence as Aria took her by the hand.

"Come on," said Aria. "You can do this. There's nothing to fear. I'm right here with you."

Unable to resist, the safety of the wall slipped away as Aria led Serena by the hand. They moved toward the center of the rink, making laps at a leisurely pace, saying little. They passed by Clemont and Korrina time and time again, Korrina encouraging him to take a few steps without her assistance, and Clemont inevitably needing her support again.

Things continued that way for a while. It was only when Serena saw Bonnie stop up ahead and stare at them that she realized she had been holding hands with Aria the entire time. Bonnie smirked, and Serena hurried to pull her hand away from Aria.

She saw Aria look at her. She expected to see hurt on Aria's face. Instead, she once again saw that enigmatic, unreadable smile. Separated, the two of them continued to roll until they approached a large group of kids crossing the rink. In unison, they stopped.

"See?" said Aria. "You don't need me."

* * *

After departing the rink, a debate ensued about where to go next. The original plan had been to get dinner first, but when Aria showed interest in some of the stores they passed, the group made a detour into a shopping district. Over the course of the next hour, Serena and the others followed while Aria led the way, wandering from store to store, perusing the shelves and racks of clothing.

Aria purchased nothing. She didn't even try on anything. She just looked. All the while, Serena stayed a few steps away from her, silently aware of exactly why Aria left every store empty-handed. Part of her wanted to offer to pay for Aria, but another part of her reminded her that the gesture was spoiled from the very beginning due to the money in question having come from her attempt to extort Aria. Rather than try to approach that difficult subject, Serena preferred to stand back and watch.

At the very least, Aria appeared to be enjoying herself. Serena was concerned that the others would be bored, but every time she looked around for them, she instead found Clemont and Korrina off on their own, hand in hand, lost in conversation. For a while, Serena lost track of Bonnie and wondered if she had disappeared, but she assumed that Clemont was paying attention and that there was no need to worry if he wasn't worried.

Instead, a different sort of worry came to her when she caught sight of Bonnie again. From the corner of her eye, she saw Bonnie peeking around the corner of a nearby shelf, a mischievous grin on her face. After sneaking a glance in Serena and Aria's direction, Bonnie scribbled something in a notebook. Before Serena could interrupt, Bonnie briefly met her eyes and grinned, then shoved the notebook back into her bag and disappeared again.

Serena was left as confused as ever.

When Aria eventually had her fill of window shopping, the debate over dinner resumed. While Clemont suggested that they should go somewhere upscale in honor of Aria's birthday, Aria insisted that she had eaten enough high-class meals for a lifetime and that she wanted something simpler. As such, their dinner instead came from a food truck near Prism Tower which Korrina recommended. It was sloppy, greasy, and absolutely delicious. Aria smiled all the way through it, even though she said she was certain she would regret her decision by the next morning.

Sunset approached. As the light in the sky dimmed, so did Aria's spirits. The day out was coming to an end. The inevitable return to Clemont's house awaited. Aria sighed, and she stood up from the bench on which they sat.

"I suppose we should get going, shouldn't we?" she said.

"Well, we don't have anything else planned, but we don't have to go yet," said Serena. "Not if you don't want to."

"Actually, I think it would be for the best if the three of us returned home," said Clemont, pointing to himself, Bonnie, and Korrina. "If you two would like to stay out a while longer, that's no trouble for us."

Aria made a pained face.

"I would like to, but I know I shouldn't," said Aria. "It's too risky."

"On the contrary," said Clemont, "we haven't seen even one single sign of surveillance all day, have we?"

Clemont looked at Luxray. Luxray gave a brief, gruff reply of agreement. Aria gave Clemont a confused look.

"Weren't you the one who didn't want to do this because of all the risk involved?" she said.

"Yes," said Clemont, "but I think if there is any lesson I should take from today, it is that the rules of logic are not applicable in all situations."

"Let's see how long it takes you to forget that," said Korrina. "My bet is on tomorrow."

"Ooh! Can I bet on tonight?" said Bonnie.

"Are you gonna pay up this time if you lose?" said Korrina.

"Have you two seriously been wagering with each other about me?!" said Clemont.

"Don't worry about it," said Korrina, dismissing him with a wave of the hand. "It's no big deal. Just a friendly bet here and there."

"It most definitely _is_ a big deal if you have introduced Bonnie to gambling!"

Serena recalled Bonnie sneaking into the casino when they first entered the Grand Monego Hotel, and she snickered. If anything, it was probably Bonnie who started it, she figured. She wondered if Bonnie's notebook was meant for recording wagers.

A brief argument followed, one which ended with Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina heading for home, leaving Serena and Aria by themselves. As they left, Bonnie winked at Serena. It made Serena's stomach jump.

Aria spoke first.

"That was a surprising turn," she said. "I assumed they were going to keep me guarded the whole day."

"It took a lot of work to convince Clemont to do this," said Serena. "Korrina kind of had to force him to do it."

"I understand why he was concerned," said Aria.

"Me too," said Serena. "That was part of what made this so hard to set up. Trying to convince Clemont of something that you think may not be a good idea is really, really hard."

Aria pursed her lips and bowed her head as she stood beside Serena.

"I'm touched that you did this for me," said Aria. "I struggle to believe that you all went to this much effort for me. It still doesn't feel real."

"We're your friends," said Serena. "Maybe you wouldn't know, but this is what friends do."

"You're right that I wouldn't," said Aria. "I'm accustomed to any outward gesture of generosity toward me being accompanied with the expectation of me doing something for that person in return. Favors, deals, negotiations under the table… But what can I possibly do for you? For any of your friends?"

"They're your friends, too, you know."

"It still doesn't feel like it to me," said Aria. "Perhaps I simply don't know how that's supposed to feel. I don't know what to expect."

"It doesn't feel like anything," said Serena. "It's something that just _is."_

Aria raised an eyebrow.

"You sound like me," she said.

"It's true, though!" said Serena. "Friendship isn't an emotion. It's just something that happens when people who like each other spend time together."

Aria appeared to think for a while. When she spoke, she changed the subject.

"What should we do now?" she said.

"I don't know," said Serena. "This wasn't the plan."

"Well, if there never was a plan and we were simply out here under normal circumstances, what would you suggest we do next?"

"Take a walk in the park?" Serena said with a shrug.

"That sounds delightful to me," said Aria.

With Delphox keeping guard behind them, they crossed a couple of nearby blocks and came upon a park, one with winding paths and a wrought iron fence surrounding it. They passed through the gate. The street lamps were already on inside.

"If I'm not mistaken, you were on your way out of this very same park when you finally found me," said Aria.

"I thought I saw you in the crowd at the festival that day. I tried to follow you, but I lost track of you. I thought you came through here."

"It was a stroke of luck that you found me, then, because I never entered this park that day," said Aria. "I went all the way around it, hoping to lose you. I ended up in exactly the wrong place at exactly the wrong time. Or perhaps the right place at the right time, depending on your point of view."

"I like the second one better," said Serena.

"It's funny," said Aria. "I was furious with you at the time. I was certain you were going to blow my cover. Now look at us!"

As if to accentuate her statement, Aria reached into her coat pocket, pulled out a Poké Ball, and threw it into the air. Her Delphox appeared alongside Serena's.

"Isn't Palermo still after you?" said Serena. "Don't we still need to be careful?"

"Do you want the simple answer or the complete answer?" said Aria.

"Both."

"If you say so," said Aria. "The simple answer is probably yes. The complete answer is that while she undoubtedly is still conspiring against me, we have no way of knowing what she is planning. For all we know, she could have abandoned trying to hunt me down a while ago. If I know her at all, she's probably planning some other indirect method of attack."

"Like what?" said Serena.

"Who knows?" said Aria. "She's very shrewd. That's the thing about Palermo - everything she does has an ulterior motive. She never does anything unless it's going to benefit her in some way. I'm willing to bet that once she realized you and your friends were guarding me, she decided that taking me directly was going to be too messy to be worth it and she began plotting something else."

"But what could she do?"

"She could do anything. It just depends on how much she wants it."

"What do _you_ think she's going to do?"

"Probably some underhanded smear campaign against me in the media," said Aria. "She's already laid the foundation for that. That could have been a diversion, though. There's no way to predict her."

"How are you so… _calm _about all this?" said Serena. "It would really make me worried! Honestly, I'm already feeling more worried!"

Aria shook her head.

"I wish you wouldn't worry, but I understand," she said. "Honestly, it worries me, too. It worries me sick. You all aren't around for any of this, but when I'm alone in the house during the day, I fear that every sound I hear, every creaking floorboard and rattling pipe, is someone breaking in to take me."

"Aria…"

"But my point is that worrying accomplishes nothing!" said Aria. "I know it's so much easier said than done, but I tell myself all the time to stop worrying because I'm already doing everything I can to prevent it. There's nothing more I can do. Why worry about it, then? Why let Palermo control me in that way?"

"Why worry?" said Serena. "She wants to kidnap you and use you to make money!"

"True as that may be, what would be far worse is if I spent my entire time away from her tyranny living in fear. If I do that, then she truly has beaten me."

Both of them went quiet for a while. Behind them, their Delphox chatted with each other about some unknown subject, their differences in personality as glaring as ever. Aria's Delphox spoke in an excited tone, driving the conversation. Serena's Delphox was calm in return, even terse at times.

Lost in thought, Serena was startled when Aria asked her a question.

"When is your birthday?"

"It's in August," said Serena.

"Oh," said Aria. She looked away. "We missed it, then."

"August 15th," said Serena.

"Exactly three months before mine," said Aria. "Nine months away now."

"Why do you ask?" said Serena.

"Just curious," said Aria. "And… hoping that we could do this again on your birthday, which was hopefully soon. Which it isn't."

"I hope we get to do this again before then," said Serena.

Aria hesitated for a moment.

"Me too."

"Even a walk in the park would have been better than my last birthday," said Serena. "I was still at home then, hiding from everyone. My mom made a cake. That was it."

"I hope we can do better than that for your next one," said Aria.

"As long as I'm with you, it's already better."

There was a hitch in Aria's breath, followed by a sharp exhalation. She stopped.

"Do you have any idea how hard it is for me to hear you say things like that when I know that you can't ever give me what I want?"

Serena also stopped. She bit down on her lip quite hard and looked away. Her heart raced. As thoughts and words came to her mind, she instantly felt her temperature begin to rise. There was so much to say, too much, simply an impossible amount of contradictory feelings to explain and no way to do it.

"I-"

Serena wasn't able to say much of anything before Aria spoke again.

"Serena, I'm still _really _attracted to you. Honestly, I feel that way more now than I ever have before. We keep getting closer and closer, and I can't help but think that this is something more than _just_ a friendship, but I have no idea what I'm doing. I've never had anything like this before with anyone. I don't know what we are. I know what I want it to be, though, but I know that even if what we have looks and _feels _like that, you can't give that to me. I can't stop myself, though! I can't just ignore my feelings or make them go away! How could I? Getting to spend all this time with you is the best thing that has ever happened to me! I don't want this to stop, but I know that you just can't return my feelings no matter what, and the longer it continues, the more it hurts! It's driving me crazy and I don't know what to do!"

Aria's words hung heavy in the air. She folded her arms and turned away. Strained silence followed.

"I don't know what to do, either," said Serena. "I'm doing the best I can."

Aria covered her face with one hand and sighed.

"I know you are," she said. "I mean, look at what you've done for me today. You've given me an amazing day. You've done all this, and I respond by dumping my frustrations on you. It's not fair to you at all."

"I'm not mad at you," said Serena.

"I would understand if you were. I'm not very good at showing gratitude. It's no excuse, but you get numb to it after a while when everyone treats you like royalty."

"I'm… really happy with you, actually."

Aria turned her head to face Serena again.

"Huh?"

Serena folded her hands. She found it impossible to look Aria in the eye.

"Things have always been complicated between us, but… you make me really happy," said Serena.

"Serena…"

"I don't know what to do," said Serena. "I know you don't like it, but I can't just give up on Ash. But… I don't want to stop doing what we're doing. I really like being so close to you. I don't want to stop that."

Aria's lips parted, but no words came out. She closed them again, and also her eyes.

"Please," she began. _"Please _don't tell me that you would be with me if it weren't for Ash. Or if I were a boy. I can't take it. I can't. Please."

"I wasn't going to say any of that," said Serena.

Aria opened her eyes again.

"Then what were you going to say?"

"That I need more time to figure out what I want."

Aria sighed. She took one step forward, and then another. Serena followed her.

"I wish I could tell you in good faith that you can take all the time you need," said Aria. "I can't, though."

"Why not?"

"Because our time is running out."

"What?"

Serena stopped. Aria stopped with her. Serena spoke again.

"What are you talking about? Do you know something I don't?"

"For once, no," said Aria. "I have no idea what the future holds. What I _do_ know is that nothing is certain in life."

Serena shifted her stance awkwardly. Instinctively, she folded her arms tight against her body. A moment later, she shivered.

"Are you cold?" said Aria.

"Not really," said Serena. "Well, kind of."

There was silence for a while. Aria seemed to be on the verge of making some kind of gesture, but seemed to think better of it and stopped herself. Serena thought for some time before she spoke. Even when she did, she didn't feel like she had anything insightful to say.

"The future is... scary," she said.

"It can be," said Aria.

"It wasn't always scary."

"The future always seems so bright when we're young, doesn't it?" said Aria. "It's only when we begin to grow up that we realize there were black clouds on the horizon all along."

"It's not that," said Serena.

"Oh?"

"Well, not exactly. It's that... well, for almost as far back as I can remember, there was only one thing I ever wanted to do with my future."

Serena took a momentary glance at Aria, then bit her lip and looked away.

"All I ever wanted to do was be with Ash," she said.

Aria was silent for a few seconds.

"Has that changed?"

"I... I don't know," Serena said, shaking her head. She rubbed her forehead. "Being with him was the only thing I ever dreamed of, but now, after everything that's happened, I just... I just don't know anymore."

Aria tucked her hands into her pockets.

"I'm sure you'll figure it out in time."

* * *

A while later, the two of them rounded one last corner. Clemont's house awaited them at the end of the block. Despite both of their spirits lifting after the conclusion of their walk in the park, Serena knew immediately that Aria was not excited to be back.

"I had almost forgotten what it was like to be outside," said Aria.

"It won't be as long before the next time you're out here, hopefully," said Serena.

"Hopefully, yes," said Aria. She walked with her hands in her coat pockets, tight-lipped.

"I don't want to speak too soon, but unless there's a last-second surprise, you made it the whole day without being caught or noticed by anyone," said Serena.

"I guess that bodes well, doesn't it?" said Aria.

They stopped at the front steps. Serena's Delphox checked their surroundings, raising her wand high to illuminate the area. Aria's Delphox had long since been returned to her ball.

Serena looked at Aria. They both hesitated.

"Well?" said Serena.

Aria lifted her head high and took a deep breath with her eyes shut. She shook her head as she let it all out.

"I don't want to do this," she said.

"I know," said Serena. "But… you don't have to do it alone."

"I-"

Aria began to say something, but she stopped immediately when she opened her eyes. Serena was holding a hand out to her.

"We can do it together," said Serena.

Cautious, almost disbelieving, Aria pulled her hand from her coat pocket and placed it in Serena's. Their fingers locked together. Serena took a step up toward the door.

"Ready?" she asked.

Aria took one last look around the block, then gave Serena a grim, bittersweet nod.

Serena's heart raced as she climbed the steps, Aria in tow behind her. She knew that there was one more surprise waiting on the other side of the door, one more grand lie to be exposed.

There was one more part to the plan. Their late arrival had been part of the plan all along.

Serena opened the door. With a firm grip on Aria's hand, she pulled her into the dark foyer. There were no lights on.

"Are we that late?" said Aria. "Is everyone already in bed?"

"No, I don't think so," said Serena. She let go of Aria's hand and shut the door behind them.

As soon as she turned the lock, everything happened at once. Lights switched on. Voices cheered. Aria yelped in surprise and covered her mouth in shock.

Clemont, Bonnie, Korrina, and Meyer all stood in view at the kitchen table, smiles on their faces. In front of them sat a cake.

_"Happy birthday!"_

Again, Serena took Aria by the hand. She led Aria into the kitchen. Aria said something incoherent. Meyer lit the candles on the cake, seventeen in all. Adorning the cake were words written in red icing.

_Happy Birthday Aria_

It took Aria so long to stop crying that they had to re-light the candles for her to blow them out.


	8. The Shattered Fortress

Chapter Eight - The Shattered Fortress

The day after Aria's birthday, Serena was slow to wake, her eyes and her mind still heavy from the events of the previous evening. As she gradually came back to consciousness, the light pouring in through the bedroom window assaulted her eyes. She squinted as she sat upright, then dug through her bag to check the time on her tablet. It was later than she usually rose, already mid-morning. Across the room, Aria still lay in her bed, motionless. In the near-silence, Serena heard Aria's deep, steady breaths. Despite the hour, she remained sound asleep.

Elsewhere in the room, however, there was already activity. Or rather, something resembling it. Serena tilted her head at the sight. In the far corner of the room, both her Delphox and Aria's sat opposite each other, eyes closed, seemingly in meditation. Between the two of them sat two objects, two random parts taken from the shrinking, yet still present mountains of boxes that filled the room.

Deep in her gut, Serena sensed something, like a spark about to ignite. She stopped halfway through drawing a breath and held it, waiting.

Moments later, her Delphox opened her eyes. They shone indigo. A sheath of identically-colored light encircled the part on the floor in front of her. Steadily, it rose into the air, stopping when it reached Delphox's eye level.

Serena felt her heart beating inside her chest as she waited to take another breath. She knew there was something else coming, but she wasn't sure what.

She did not have to wait long to find out. Aria's Delphox opened her eyes. They were not aglow. They did not shine with that same serene, ethereal light. Instead, they looked entirely normal, so painfully, frustratingly normal. Her expression contorted, the pain and frustration in her eyes creeping onto the rest of her face. Her teeth bared, she quivered as if straining herself.

The part on the floor in front of her did not move. All at once, Serena understood.

The light in Serena's Delphox's eyes dimmed. As it dissipated, the part she suspended in the air sank gently down to the floor, making a soft tap upon contact. In the silence, the sound was deafening, loud enough to puncture eardrums and shatter glass. As Serena's Delphox released her hold on the spare part, Aria's Delphox lost her hold on everything.

A growl rose in Aria's Delphox's throat. Unconsciously, Serena's lips parted ever so slightly, and her eyes opened a bit wider. She saw movement on the windowsill, behind the curtains. She saw the silhouette of Ribombee rise, apparently stirred from sleep.

The growl grew louder. Serena's eyes darted over to Aria's bed, certain that she would be awoken. Before she could determine if Aria was still asleep, Ribombee slipped out from behind the curtains and took to the air, adding her buzzing to the cacophony. Her teeth clenched, Aria's Delphox shook more and more with each passing second, as if struggling to lift some unimaginably heavy weight.

Ribombee hovered above. She chirped excitedly. Without moving anything other than her eyes, Serena's Delphox shot Ribombee a momentary glare from below, fierce enough to immediately silence her. Ribombee promptly landed atop a nearby box. As soon as she touched down, something flickered.

It was a mere instant, but it was unmistakable, that indigo light. For an instant, it flickered in Aria's Delphox's eyes, and then it was gone. Her growl crescendoed, then abruptly came to an end. With a grunt of frustration, she swept the part aside with her hand, slamming it into a tower of boxes with a thunderous crash.

Serena saw Aria jump at the sound.

Already halfway to her feet, Aria's Delphox only stopped when she caught sight of what would happen next. The tower of boxes leaned, then began to tip over.

In a single, blindingly swift motion, Serena's Delphox drew her wand from her tail and halted the boxes in midair, freezing them in place. Aria's Delphox hesitated at the sight for only a moment before making a huff of disgust and turning away. As she stalked her way across the room to the door, Serena's Delphox gently righted the tower again, then tucked her wand away.

Her eyes droopy and heavy with the remnants of sleep, Aria sat upright to the sight of her Delphox hurrying out the bedroom door.

"...what happened?" she said, groggily looking from the door to Serena and back again. "What was that?"

Serena was sure she knew the answer to Aria's question, but the answer left her with even more questions.

"It was... nothing, really," she said.

"It doesn't seem like it's nothing," Aria said, looking out the open door.

As if to compound the obviousness of Serena's lie, Ribombee took off and went zooming out the door, chittering as if in great distress.

"It's- ...everything's fine, really," said Serena. As she said it, she stood and rose from her bed. "You can go back to sleep if you want."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course!"

Of course, Serena was not sure at all, and she was certain that Aria was aware of that as she passed by her bed on her way out the door. As she exited, the last things she saw were Aria's look of sleepy confusion, and her own Delphox still seated on the floor, her head bowed.

Out in the hallway, there was no sign of anyone. Aria's Delphox was nowhere to be found, but there was only one logical option for where she had gone. Serena descended the stairs in pursuit. As she reached the lower floor, two things became clear to her – she had absolutely no idea what she was going to do or say when she found Aria's Delphox, and her head hurt.

She did not have to search for long. Audible from the bottom of the stairs and visible with only a few more steps toward the kitchen, Aria's Delphox had gone directly to Lucario. Serena didn't have a prayer of understanding what was being said, but Delphox's body language said everything she needed to know. She was venting. Up above, Ribombee perched on a lampshade, gazing intently at the two of them.

Serena hesitated, figuring it would be better not to interrupt. Before she truly had the chance to make up her mind about what to do, she jumped in surprise.

"Well, well!"

Serena turned and saw Bonnie seated alone at the kitchen table. With her elbows on the table, Bonnie tented her fingers and rested her chin atop them. She gave Serena a sly look.

"Bonnie?"

"You're really messing up my shipping charts, you know."

For a few seconds, Serena utterly failed to comprehend Bonnie's words. Her brain was only able to fit everything into place once her eyes landed upon the notebook which lay strewn open on the table in front of Bonnie, a pencil resting atop it.

"Your... _what?"_

"My shipping charts!" said Bonnie. "It's a lot of work keeping track of all this stuff, you know!"

Instantly, Serena's mind flooded with implications, and heat washed over her face. In only a few steps, she stormed over to the kitchen table. Before Bonnie had the time to react, Serena snatched the notebook away.

"Hey!" said Bonnie.

Serena stepped away from the table and held the open notebook up at arm's length, far out of Bonnie's reach. Bonnie left her seat tried to jump to grab the notebook, but it was no use. While Bonnie struggled, Serena read. She struggled to understand.

The page before her contained dozens of circles, each with a name inside of it. Serena found not only her own name but the names of nearly every person and Pokémon she had encountered in the last several months, all the way back to before the trip to Monego City. In fact, the only name that came to mind that Serena couldn't find was Bonnie's.

An elaborate, almost incomprehensible web of arrows connected the names. Some of the arrows connecting the names pointed in both directions, such as the one connecting Clemont and Korrina. Others pointed only one way, such as the one connecting Tierno to her. There were others still that were notated in various ways. Some were dashed lines instead of solid. Some had question marks attached to them. Amusingly, there was a dashed arrow pointing from every single girl's name to Clemont, including her own. Korrina's arrow was the only one that was neither dashed nor had a question mark next to it.

But among the chaos, Serena's eyes honed in on something. She located the network of arrows connecting her name with Ash and Aria. Eraser marks were smudged all around their names.

"Bonnie, I-"

Serena's heart froze. Her eyes traced the line between her name and Ash.

It was dashed. It only pointed one direction.

From Ash, to her.

"Give it back!" said Bonnie, jumping again in a futile attempt to reach it. "It's mine!"

"What-"

Serena's darted over the page, following more arrows. There was another dashed arrow extending from Ash's name. It connected him to Lillie. It pointed both ways. There was a question mark next to it.

"What does this mean?"

"Oh, come on!" said Bonnie. "I know you know what it means! You're not a big dummy about this stuff like Clemont is!"

Once more, Serena's eyes landed on her own name. There was a solid arrow attached to it, one she had not yet followed. She traced its path. When she reached the end, her heart skipped a beat. Another wave of heat washed over her face.

The solid arrow connected her name to Aria. It pointed both ways.

Indignant, Serena gripped the notebook with one hand and pointed at her name with the other.

"What is this supposed to mean?" she said. "Ash is still my boyfriend!"

Bonnie folded her arms and raised an eyebrow at Serena.

"Oh yeah?"

"Yes! That hasn't changed! Nothing has changed!"

"You coulda fooled me."

For a split-second, Serena prepared to fire back a retort. Before it could leave her lips or even so much as form in her throat, she slumped her shoulders. What was the point? It was no use.

Without another word, she handed the notebook back to Bonnie and walked away.

* * *

Monday came. Serena was all too glad to leave the house, put her thoughts aside, and lose herself in her work. For a few hours, that was precisely what she did, eager to ignore everyone and everything, happy to disengage her mind and reduce herself to a mere device for sorting parts.

But that came to an end when mid-morning she heard a rare event. Meyer turned up the volume on the perpetually on, perpetually muted giant old TV.

Serena turned to look and saw a news anchor speaking, a message crawling across the bottom of the screen beneath her. Meyer approached the TV, narrowing his eyes.

_"No…"_

It was nothing more than a whisper. That alone was all Serena needed to hear to make her heart drop into her stomach and run over to the TV. Under normal circumstances, Meyer never spoke so softly.

Serena went cold as she read the message crawling across the screen.

_LUMIOSE AND SHALOUR CITY GYMS SUSPENDED BY LEAGUE AFTER DISCOVERING BOTH GYMS BEING RUN BY ROBOTS, GYM LEADERS IN RELATIONSHIP_

It took Meyer a matter of minutes to close down the shop for the day. Meyer recalled Ampharos to his ball, another rare event. Serena took Ampharos' usual place on the back seat of Meyer's motorbike. Together, they swerved through traffic, weaving between cars as Meyer flew home, not even stopping to park the bike before running up the front steps. Serena lagged behind him, forced to figure out how to use the bike's kickstand on her own.

When she entered the house, she found everyone gathered in the living room in front of the TV. Clemont sat in the middle of the couch, chin in hand. Bonnie sat beside him, unusually close. Korrina paced around the room with her arms folded. Aria sat in a chair on the far side of the room, her eyes glued to the screen.

"Clemont!" said Meyer. "What in the world is going on? What happened?"

"According to what we've seen here so far, someone complained to the league about our gyms," said Clemont. "The press got word of this, and the league took action."

"And they didn't even tell us!" said Korrina. She stopped pacing for a moment to place her hands on her hips and turn to face Meyer. "We found out when the police showed up to kick us out of the gym!"

"What?!" said Meyer. "How could the league not contact you first? This is an outrage!"

"It's a conspiracy, _that's _what it is!" said Korrina. "We know _exactly_ who did this."

"Who?" said Meyer.

"It was that annoying guy from a few weeks ago who lost to Clembot and flipped his lid!" said Korrina.

"We don't have any proof, though," said Clemont. "It could have been anyone who challenged our gyms and was dissatisfied."

"I'd bet _anything _it was him!" said Korrina.

Serena's eyes lingered on Aria. Aria took notice. Their eyes met. Serena knew immediately.

"What if it was Palermo?" said Serena.

A hush came over the room. Everyone turned to look at her.

"I'm not confident about that," said Clemont. He scratched his cheek while he looked upward, pondering. "That seems a bit far-fetched to me. It's too many logical leaps at once."

Serena scrunched up her face in confusion.

"...not really?" she said. "It seems kind of obvious to me."

"We don't have any evidence, though," said Clemont. "Not to mention the lack of a clear motive."

"Palermo's motives are never clear," said Aria.

Again, all heads in the room turned, this time toward Aria. Seated stiffly in her chair, she crossed both her legs and arms before continuing.

"Regardless of what we have seen, it's practically guaranteed that she knows I am here and that you all are guarding me. This could be an attempt to rattle you all, to encourage you to turn me over to her."

"We would never do that!" said Bonnie.

_"Never_ is a very long time when you're dealing with someone as conniving as her," said Aria. "She's perfectly content to meddle from afar and wait for others to make the first move. I've seen it time and time again."

"Even if she is trying to get us to give you to her, how did she know about our robots?" said Korrina. "And how did she know about the two of us being together?"

"It's not that difficult to figure out," said Aria. "Palermo has a massive network of people working for her. How many people do you think have seen you two together in public recently? You're public figures, after all."

Clemont and Korrina looked at each other. They exchanged an uncertain glance.

"Plus, it doesn't even matter if the relationship part of the accusation is true or not, even though we all know it is," said Aria. "Palermo has the media in her back pocket and can say anything she wants. The public adores her too much to care. The truth is immaterial to the situation."

"The truth very much _is_ material to the situation," said Clemont, "because it would be much easier for us to refute all this if we could prove that any of it was false. Unfortunately, it's all true. That leads me to believe she uncovered it somehow, but it strains the mind as to how she did it."

"You underestimate her," said Aria.

There was a tense silence. As if stepping in to defuse an argument, Meyer stepped forward and spoke.

"Regardless of motive or perpetrator, I have to say that I'm relieved to see you all here," he said. "I'm so glad you're not at the gym trying to sort out this mess, or worse, trying to find whoever started this."

"I'd _love_ to find whoever started this, believe me," said Korrina.

"I know you would," said Meyer. "So that's why I say to all of you, please, stay here for now. Don't go out and do anything rash. We don't need anyone to be a hero right now."

"The only thing I wish I could do is retrieve Clembot and Korrinabot," said Clemont. "I deactivated them remotely, and I was able to retrieve the Pokémon from my gym. I'm afraid I can't say the same for Korrina, though."

"If anyone touches Machoke or Mienfoo, I swear…"

Korrina trailed off, shaking her head.

"Your grandpa can get them, right?" said Bonnie.

"Not if the police locked up my gym, too," said Korrina. As she finished her sentence, she clenched her fists even tighter and grunted, seething with anger.

"Now is definitely a time to wait for cooler heads to prevail," said Clemont. "Perhaps we should turn off the TV and try to remove ourselves from the situation for a while."

"That's easier said than done, but I wholeheartedly agree," said Meyer.

Korrina tightly folded her arms again. She resumed pacing.

"I can't just sit here!" she said. "I have to do something!"

"Why not call your grandfather?" said Clemont.

"You know why," said Korrina.

* * *

The afternoon dragged on. Serena was unsure what to do or say to anyone. Clemont appeared more than content to retreat to his computer and bury himself within walls of code. Korrina was unable to sit still, bouncing between rooms endlessly, incapable of resting for more than a few seconds before bursting into activity again. She sat with Clemont for a while, then with Serena and Aria, then went back and forth again. In between, Serena caught her doing sit-ups and push-ups in the hall. Caught in the middle of all of it and unable to help, Bonnie became overwhelmed and ran off to her dad on the verge of tears.

Night fell. Meyer ordered a pizza rather than bother to cook anything. The restlessness and unease continued all evening. Serena had almost drifted off to sleep when she was awoken by shouting.

She sat up in bed and looked to Aria, who sat by the window with her book. Their eyes met, and then they both ran out of the room and down the hall to Clemont's room.

_"-knew it was her! She knew it! We've got to do some-"_

_"You need to calm down!"_

_"How can I be calm?! We have proof!"_

_"We can't do anything! We have to wait!"_

_"She's-"_

Serena and Aria burst into the room, and the argument ceased.

"What's going on?" said Serena.

"Look!" said Korrina, pointing at Clemont's computer screen. "It was _her!"_

An article was displayed on the screen. Serena leaned closer and read.

_Two Gym Leaders Suspended as Scandal Engulfs Kalos League_

_LUMIOSE CITY - Crowds gathered outside Prism Tower this afternoon in excess of even the typical tourist rush as news broke of the suspension of Lumiose City gym leader Clemont by the Kalos Pokémon League. The suspension was announced by league officials coming on the heels of a report which surfaced this morning claiming that the Lumiose City and Shalour City gyms have been operated by robots for months while their leaders conducted a romantic relationship in secret._

_Two hundred miles to the northwest, a similar crowd gathered outside of the Shalour City gym as local law enforcement closed public access to the facility. Shalour City gym leader Korrina, who was last reported to be in Shalour City more than two months ago, was also suspended by the league this morning. According to numerous public reports, Korrina has been seen in Clemont's company in Lumiose City on a regular basis during that time._

_This is not the first time the Lumiose City gym has faced scrutiny for its use of a robotic leader. Dating back to almost two years ago, complaints surfaced that the robotic gym leader constructed by Clemont, known as "Clembot," had seized control of the gym from its proper leader and engaged in the practice of turning away trainers with fewer than four badges, sometimes discouraging entry via electric shock. These complaints ceased after Clemont released a patch for Clembot that addressed these issues._

_Discontent has returned en masse. Clemont has been seen alongside Clembot in the Lumiose City gym for the last few months, having Clembot battle in his stead under the pretense of collecting data. However, the appearance of his sudden closeness with Korrina during her simultaneous absence from her gym has led to public outcry. According to reports filed with the league by dissatisfied trainers, some view the situation at the Lumiose and Shalour City gyms as "an obvious setup for [Clemont and Korrina] to take a permanent vacation together and still get paid."_

_In particular, trainers have been dissatisfied with the robot serving as the Shalour City gym leader, known as "Korrinabot." While trainers and league officials were willing to accept a robotic gym leader at the electric-type Lumiose gym, a robot has been considered by many to be badly out of place in Shalour's fighting-type gym. Korrinabot also leaves no doubt as to her origins. When asked, she states that she was created by Clemont on behalf of Korrina._

_While no current league rules or bylaws prohibit the use of a robotic gym leader, league officials stated today that the circumstances at the Lumiose and Shalour City gyms were "blatantly against the spirit and intent of competition put forth by the league" and a "serious misuse of power and authority by two of the league's most visible figures."_

_Speaking at a press conference this afternoon, Kalos League champion Diantha stated that she first became aware of the accusations in a recent conversation with her close friend and former mentor Palermo. Palermo herself had heard rumors of discontent with the Lumiose City gym and wished to express her concern, which prompted an investigation._

_"While I know for a fact that both Clemont and Korrina are fine young people with strong hearts and outstanding character, the league believes that this is a clear ethical conflict of interest and dereliction of duties," Diantha stated. "We believe that the best option both for the league and for the trainers partaking in league competition is to suspend both of them until the situation can be resolved. I consider both Clemont and Korrina to be valuable members of the league and hope to see both of them back in their positions as soon as possible."_

_When reached for comment, Palermo stated that she was "terribly concerned for the league in the aftermath of the disaster with Team Flare" and was "troubled to see a full one-quarter of Kalos' gyms being operated in absentia for the sole benefit of their leaders."_

Serena stopped reading. A cold, dreadful feeling settled into her stomach. She looked at Aria.

"It really was her, wasn't it?" she said. "This is her next move, isn't it?"

"I wish I could draw a different conclusion from this, but I can't," said Aria. "I told you. This is how she works."

"So she's after _you_ by getting to _us?"_ said Korrina.

"I regret to say it, but I'm almost certain that's the case," said Aria.

Korrina stalked away to the corner of the room, her fists clenched. She turned around and stalked back to the computer. Her teeth were bared.

Serena noticed Aria back away as Korrina approached. Korrina raised a hand, enraged. For a brief, terrible moment, Serena feared that Korrina would strike Aria.

Instead, Korrina pointed viciously at the screen.

"That's _it! _I've _had it! _No more sitting around doing nothing! I don't care what you all want to do, I am _not_ going to sit here any longer and let this evil woman ruin our lives!"

Clemont raised a hand, trying to urge her to back down.

"Korrina-"

_"_Don't try to stop me! I'm so sick of this! We're all trying to do our best and live our lives and _she_ decided that we don't get to do that because _she _wants something! I am _not_ going to let her take anything from me!"

"Korrina, please!" said Clemont. "Please calm down! Anger isn't going to solve anything!"

"Sitting here forever and hoping for the best until we lose everything is what isn't going to solve anything!"

"Perhaps inaction won't solve this, but what do you intend to do? You mustn't attempt to fight Palermo on your own! Serena and Aria have made it perfectly clear how foolish that would be!"

"I won't have to do it alone if I could get _anyone_ here to stop being afraid and fight _with_ me!"

"Even if we all fought together, I have no reason to believe that we would be able to defeat Palermo," said Aria. "She always has something up her sleeve. She's never alone. If you try to fight her on your own, it's hopeless!"

"How can you not want to fight her after everything she's done to you?!" said Korrina.

"Because I know her better than any of you, and I know what she's capable of!" said Aria. "If I could have stopped her on my own, I would have done it already, trust me! The only person she has manipulated who had enough power to stop her was Diantha, and she was smart enough to see the threat Diantha posed to her and cultivated their relationship into a useful friendship instead. You're not going to beat her, even at your best."

"I'm still going to try!" said Korrina. "Trying and failing is better than doing nothing and failing anyway!"

Clemont stood and placed his hand around Korrina's wrist.

"Please, I implore you, _think_ about this!" said Clemont. "What do you realistically hope to achieve if you go through with this course of action?"

Korrina easily ripped her wrist out of Clemont's grip.

"More than anyone here has achieved in this fight against her," said Korrina. "I'm _not_ a coward. I _won't _take this sitting down!"

Korrina pointed at Aria.

"She lives in that ugly gated mansion by the river, doesn't she?" Korrina asked. "I know you know."

Aria froze. Her hesitation was all the answer Korrina needed.

"Knew it," said Korrina. She took a few long strides toward the door. "Anyone who wants to come with me, this is your last chance."

"Korrina, stop this!" said Clemont.

"Stop me yourself, then!"

Clemont reached toward his pocket, the shape of a Poké Ball visible from inside it. He stopped halfway.

"Please don't do this," he said.

Korrina's expression hardened for a moment, and she turned and ran out the door.

Footsteps thundered down the hall. Clemont slumped into his chair and covered his face with both hands. Serena looked at Aria, and Aria at her. Their eyes met for a moment.

Serena ran.

"I've got to stop her!"

Serena descended the stairs as fast as her feet would allow. When she reached the bottom, she saw Korrina already slipping out the front door. Bonnie was curled up asleep on the couch, light from the TV flickering on her face. Meyer, his eyes heavy with sleep, staggered into the front hall.

"What's all the noise?" he asked Serena as she ran past him. "Where are you all going?"

"There's no time to explain!" said Serena. She threw the door open and dashed down the front steps.

Korrina had deployed her inline skates. She was already at the end of the block.

"Korrina, stop!" Serena shouted, chasing after her. "Come back!"

Korrina did not come back. She didn't even turn around and look. Instead, she made a sharp turn at the intersection and disappeared from Serena's line of sight. By the time Serena made it to the intersection, Korrina was nowhere to be seen.

* * *

Minutes passed as Serena ran through deserted street after deserted street. It was late. The river drew ever closer. She did not know her destination, but it was easy enough to guess.

In the distance, even among the many lavish properties along the river, one stood out as the most overbearing and ostentatious of them all. A five-story mansion built from white stone, surrounded on all sides by a wrought iron gate and towering hedges. The ethereal color seemed to shine like a beacon in the night.

As Serena approached, she squinted in the darkness, trying to discern any sign of Korrina. She saw nothing. Perhaps Korrina had climbed the fence. Perhaps she was even inside.

That notion was dispelled as a sudden source of light appeared, accompanied by the roar of an engine. A white limousine pulled up to the gate on the inside and stopped. Its headlights illuminated the silhouette of Korrina, standing in front of the gate with her arms held out wide, blocking the way.

Realizing that she herself was cast in the light, Serena ducked behind a mailbox and hid. She peeked out from behind it and watched.

A massive floodlight turned on, illuminating the entire area around the gate. Serena squinted and shielded her eyes with one hand. One of the limousine's doors opened. A figure emerged from it.

It was Monsieur Pierre. He strolled up to the gate.

"Stand aside, mademoiselle," he said.

"I _know_ she's in there!" said Korrina. "I'm here for her, not you!"

"Mademoiselle, I assure you that it is in your best interest not to waste Madame Palermo's time with such foolishness."

"Foolish?! This isn't foolish! I'm completely serious, and I want to see her _right now!"_

"Mademoiselle, I implore you, please, cease this at once. I do not wish to be forced to move you myself."

Korrina grabbed two of the bars on the gate.

"I'd like to see you try!"

"I do not wish to do this, but I am afraid you leave me no other choice, mademoiselle."

A solemn expression on his face, Monsieur Pierre reached into his coat. Before he could remove a Poké Ball from it, another door opened.

Palermo emerged from it. A smirk on her face, she stepped past Monsieur Pierre and held an open hand up to him, waving him off.

"Thank you, but your intervention is not yet necessary," Palermo said to Pierre. She turned her attention to Korrina. "Well, I must say, this is neither an entirely unexpected development nor a pleasant one! To what do I owe the pleasure of your company tonight?"

Palermo approached Korrina with her arms folded, stopping noticeably short of the gate. Serena was certain it was to prevent Korrina from reaching through the bars and grabbing her.

"You know _exactly _why I'm here!" said Korrina.

"I'm afraid that's not the case," said Palermo.

"I know you did it!" said Korrina. "Don't try to hide it!"

"I have no illusions of hiding any such thing," said Palermo. "I assumed that what was reported by the press would make that perfectly clear, but I suppose it wasn't worded simply enough for you to understand. Pity, really."

"I understood it well enough to know that I need to stop you!" said Korrina.

"Yes, naturally. You see, therein lies the problem. I know what motivated you to come here, but I am utterly at a loss as to what you hope to achieve from this."

"I'm here to beat you and put a stop to your crimes once and for all!"

"How trite."

"Fight me!" said Korrina. "Or are you really such a spineless coward that you would have your chauffeur do it for you?"

Behind Palermo, Monsieur Pierre stiffened.

"I assure you that spinelessness and cowardice are both misgivings of which I have been accused before, and disproven repeatedly on both counts," said Palermo.

"Then _prove _it!" said Korrina. "Battle with me! One on one! No tricks! Just you and me!"

Palermo unfolded her arms. She turned to Monsieur Pierre.

"Open the gate."

"Yes, madame."

Monsieur Pierre stepped aside, disappearing for a moment behind a brick facade. When he reappeared with his arms folded behind his back, there was a creaking, metallic sound, and the gate began to part.

Palermo stepped forward. Korrina did not budge. She stood over Palermo, several inches taller, glaring at her.

"I don't typically take house calls from street urchins, but I'm feeling magnanimous tonight," said Palermo.

Korrina visibly struggled to restrain herself from striking Palermo. Monsieur Pierre prepared to take a step forward until Korrina barred her teeth and looked aside.

"So, you're not as reckless as I thought, then," said Palermo. A wicked grin crossed her face.

"You would deserve it," said Korrina.

"Just as would you deserve the resulting prison sentence," said Palermo. "But let's be civilized, shall we? You want a one-on-one battle, correct?"

"Yes. Just you, me, and our Pokémon. No one else."

"You're very confident in yourself, aren't you?" said Palermo.

"I have every reason to be," said Korrina.

"Likewise."

Continuing to hide behind the mailbox, Serena held her breath. If she was going to stop this, it was now or never. Trying to make as little noise as possible, she reached for her bag. Without so much as touching it, she felt Delphox's ball. Even though it remained motionless in the bag, it seemed to quiver with energy.

Palermo stepped past Korrina and turned her back to her. She walked a few paces before speaking, her hands folded behind her back.

"So, you want a _fair _fight, yes?" she said.

"That's right," said Korrina. "No tricks. No help from anyone else."

"I may be able to agree to that," said Palermo. She walked a few more paces, then stopped and turned around. "However, as with any negotiation I make, I want to make the terms _perfectly _clear first."

"What's not clear about what I said?" said Korrina.

"Surely you don't expect me to believe you came here alone."

"Well, I did!" said Korrina. "What's so hard to believe about that?"

"Really now?" said Palermo, her voice aching with mock skepticism. "Not _one_ of your friends came here to fight alongside you?"

Serena shrunk further into the shadow of the mailbox. A cold shiver crept down her spine. She could still feel the energy coming from Delphox's ball. Hoping against all hope, she prayed that Delphox somehow understood that now was not the time to burst out without command.

A moment later, like a shade drawn over a light, the energy seemed to dim.

"It's just me!" said Korrina. "Are you going to battle with me or not?"

"Oh, I will have a battle with you, rest assured," said Palermo. "I'm merely surprised that your little band of intrepid heroes is apparently intelligent enough not to attempt something so spectacularly short-sighted and futile."

"They're afraid of you, but I'm not! They think you're too strong to beat, but they don't know how strong Lucario and I are! It doesn't matter how strong you are, you're not unbeatable, and the only way to do it is to try!"

"My, how courageous you must think you are."

"I have more courage than you could ever imagine!"

Palermo reached into her coat pocket. She gripped a Poké Ball.

"You _painfully_ naïve child," said Palermo. She pulled the ball from her pocket. "I will show you the difference between courage and idiocy."

"I'll show _you _what real strength is!"

Korrina threw Lucario's Poké Ball. He emerged onto the pavement, standing between Korrina and Palermo. Opposite him, Palermo merely pressed the button on her ball. With no fanfare whatsoever, Florges appeared beside her.

"Lucario, get ready!" said Korrina. "This is going to be our toughest battle yet!"

Korrina touched her fingers to the gemstone on the back of her glove. In unison, both she and Lucario bowed their heads. Polychromatic light encircled Lucario, intensifying until he shone like the sun. Serena shielded her eyes from the light once again. When she uncovered them, the light had faded and Lucario stood there transformed.

Florges yawned.

"Very impressive, yes," said Palermo. "But before we begin, let's make one thing clear. So long as no one assists you, I will not allow anyone to assist me. We can have the battle you seek, so long as you adhere to the rules yourself. If any of your friends show up to assist you, I will not hesitate to have Pierre dispose of you. Is that understood?"

"Loud and clear!" said Korrina.

Standing in the center of the open gate, Monsieur Pierre gave a single, curt nod of acknowledgment.

"Very well," said Palermo. Still holding onto Florges' Poké Ball, she folded her arms behind her back. She smirked. "Have at me, then."

"Lucario, Aura Sphere!"

"Moonblast."

Lucario charged a sphere of brilliant energy between his hands and fired. Opposite him, Florges lazily did the same. The two attacks met, and there was a blinding flash accompanied by a crackling sound. The Moonblast vaporized the Aura Sphere and continued toward its target.

"Dodge!" called Korrina.

Lucario jumped, and Florges' Moonblast shot through the air where he had stood a moment before, scattering on the ground. A charred, faintly glowing trail remained. Up above, Lucario prepared another attack.

"Bullet Punch!"

Lucario vanished. An instant later, he reappeared as he drove a glowing fist into Florges' stomach. Florges let out a short, sharp cry and went reeling backward. She remained upright.

"Close Combat!"

"Grass Knot."

Lucario moved to charge Florges again, but as soon as he did, a vine burst through a crack in the pavement and wrapped around his foot. He slammed to the ground.

"Moonblast."

Lucario was already on his feet again when Korrina called her next move.

"Bullet Punch! Dodge it!"

Lucario vanished once again and reappeared in front of Florges, ready to deliver another blow. Serena supposed the idea was to sneak Lucario in beneath Florges' attack, or maybe to bait Florges into firing first. Neither happened.

Instead, in a single swift, deliberate motion, Florges brought the blast down from above her head to in front of her body. Lucario's fist struck the blast. It exploded.

Lucario went flying through the air, thrown by the blast. Florges did not move.

"Lucario!" Korrina cried.

Lucario pulled in his limbs, preparing to roll through the air and land.

He did not succeed. Instead, his limbs abruptly snapped back out to their full extent, and he came to an immediate halt, frozen in midair.

Serena bit her lip. She knew what was to come next.

Florges' eyes flared with indigo light. An aura of the same color enveloped Lucario.

"Fight it, Lucario! I know you can break free!"

Lucario growled. His clenched teeth exposed, he shook and shuddered in midair, struggling against the psychic hold.

"In the interest of _fairness,"_ said Palermo, "allow me to give you an opportunity to bow out of this battle now."

"No way! We're not giving up that easily!"

"I would prefer this not become violent," said Palermo. "In the interest of both you and your Pokémon, I want to offer you the chance to forfeit now. You can simply walk away, and we can both ignore this unfortunate encounter."

"Not happening!" said Korrina. "We're just getting started, aren't we?"

Lucario growled again. Still, he struggled to move. Korrina grimaced.

"Focus, Lucario!" she said. "You can do it!"

"No, he cannot," said Palermo.

"Ignore her! That's what she wants you to think!"

"I think it is time _you_ stopped ignoring me," said Palermo.

Indigo light flooded the area. Florges rose into the air, wreathed in the same aura. She drew level with Lucario.

"You can stop her, Lucario! She can't use two attacks at once! Focus! Try an Aura Sphere!"

_"Au contraire."_

Lucario remained frozen in midair, restrained by Psychic. Florges continued to hover, level with him, aglow with energy. And as she did so, she raised her hands above her head and began to charge an attack.

"Moonblast."

"Lucario!"

Florges conjured the blast. She held it between her hands, the shimmering light causing shadows to dance all over the surroundings. She lowered her hands, bringing the blast to rest directly in front of Lucario's face. Squirming, eyes open wide, Lucario howled.

"Fight it!"

"Fire."

At point-blank range, Florges fired. Lucario did not move, still held in place. Serena covered her eyes. There was a flash, a rush of air, and then silence.

When Serena looked again, Lucario remained in the air, completely still. His entire upper body was charred, eerily stained with a faint, sickly, silvery glow.

"Lucario!"

Lucario did not respond to Korrina's call. Instead, he remained deathly still as the afterglow from the blast faded.

"Say something!"

Lucario did not say anything. A terrible feeling of dread settled into Serena's stomach.

"Would you care to revisit my prior offer for surrender?" said Palermo. "It's not too late. I truly deplore having blood on my hands. It would be a shame for this to come to that."

Korrina's head snapped in Palermo's direction, aghast.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"I most certainly would."

"You… you-"

Korrina looked back and forth between Lucario and Palermo, panic visible in her eyes.

Palermo took a few casual steps toward Korrina, her hands still behind her back.

"Since it would appear you are only capable of learning things the hard way, allow me to make a few things perfectly clear to you," she said, a dry smile on her face.

"Let Lucario go!"

"That's up to you. Simply forfeit, and Lucario will be freed."

Korrina clenched her jaw. She looked up at Lucario. Lucario remained motionless. Florges looked around at the ground below, appearing uninterested in the proceedings. Korrina swallowed. She shut her eyes tight.

"There is always a greater power," said Palermo. "It would be in your best interests to recognize that. There are challenges that you cannot overcome no matter how hard you try. Ignoring that truth does not mean you are brave. It means you are a _fool."_

Her fists and teeth both clenched, Korrina shook with anger.

"I _won't _let you take Lucario from me! I won't let you take _anything _else!"

"I have no interest in taking anything else from you, but if that's what it takes to make my point, I will."

_"I won't let you!"_

Korrina's voice cracked. Her face twisted into something desperate. It matched her voice.

"Then cease your pitiful resistance," said Palermo. "You are playing in the affairs of powers far greater than you. If you think I have already taken everything I can from you, allow me to disabuse you of that misconception."

Palermo held up her fingers, ready to snap them.

"There is _always _something more to take."

Korrina shook, but it was not anger that shook her. Serena heard an ugly sound, one she never expected Korrina to make.

It was a sob. Korrina sank first to her knees, then to all fours. Her head hanging low, she balled her fists on the ground.

Palermo continued to hold her fingers high, ready to snap.

"Do you understand?"

_"Stop this! Please!"_

"I'll offer you an exchange," said Palermo. "A simple trade. You surrender this battle, and thus your pitiful dignity, to me. I have Florges relinquish Lucario."

_"I-"_

Korrina's attempted reply was cut short by a sob.

"Now or never. I don't have all night."

_"I- I… surrender…"_

Korrina's words came out as a wheeze. As soon as they left her mouth, she let out a grating, wretched cry. Utterly broken, she beat her fist on the pavement.

"Very good," said Palermo. She lowered her hand. "Florges, that will do. Let Lucario down now."

The only indication Florges gave of hearing Palermo was complying with the command. Otherwise, her attention did not appear to be on the battle at all. Without looking, Serena knew precisely where Florges' gaze was fixed. It was on the mailbox behind which she cowered. She knew she was a fool to think she could hide. It was obvious. If she could somehow sense Delphox's presence, Delphox was like a beacon to Florges.

Serena expected that at any moment, the mailbox would be torn from the ground, exposing her. What she feared did not come to pass. Instead, the auras surrounding both Florges and Lucario dimmed, and both of them slowly descended to the ground.

When the light faded from Florges' eyes, Lucario instantly collapsed. Korrina scrambled over to him and threw her arms around him, checking him for signs of life. As casually as ever, Palermo pressed the button on Florges' Poké Ball and returned her to her coat pocket.

Palermo turned and began to walk back to the limousine. Monsieur Pierre waited for her, holding the door. Halfway there, she stopped. She looked back at Korrina.

"Do not attempt to meddle in my affairs again, child."

Korrina looked up from Lucario and glared at Palermo, her face red and stained with tears. She said nothing.

Palermo turned away.

"Foolish."

She stepped past Pierre and reentered the limousine. Pierre shut the door behind her. For a moment, he gave Korrina a doleful look. Then, he entered the limousine on the opposite side.

Moments later, the limousine pulled out of the gate, passing Korrina and Lucario on the ground as it pulled away. Alone, the two of them huddled there as the gate closed behind them.

As soon as Serena was certain the coast was clear, she ran out from behind the mailbox and crossed the empty street.

"Is Lucario okay?" she called.

Korrina gasped and looked up at her.

"Serena!"

Serena ran up beside Korrina and knelt down next to Lucario.

"Is he…?"

Serena didn't want to finish the sentence. Korrina did not make her do it.

"He's breathing," she said. She paused for a moment, then swallowed hard. "I… I thought I had lost him for a moment."

"I did, too."

"You saw that?"

Korrina looked horrified. Serena nodded.

"I saw everything. I'm so sorry I didn't help! I wanted to, but I thought… I thought she was going to do something awful if I did!"

Korrina covered her face with both hands.

"You saw that…" she said.

"I'm so sorry!" said Serena. "I should have done something! I was… too afraid, honestly."

"You saw me do that…"

"I really, _really_ should have helped," said Serena. "I'm so sorry I didn't!"

"You watched me surrender to her!"

"I… did."

Korrina shook as more tears came.

"You saw me fail! You saw me give up!"

Serena bit her lip. She could barely believe what she was about to say.

"Sometimes, giving up is the right thing to do."

Serena's heart jolted like an icepick went through it as the words left her mouth. For a fleeting moment, she remembered Ash finding her in the woods and telling her never to give up. The memory felt quaint in comparison to her present circumstances.

"I didn't want to!" said Korrina.

"She _made_ you do it!" said Serena. "She was… going to kill Lucario if you didn't."

"I should have listened to you and Aria. I'm so stupid…"

"You're not stupid."

"I couldn't let her take Lucario from me! I can't lose him! I can't lose _anyone _else!"

"Anyone _else?"_

"Not now that I finally have a family for the first time in my life!"

Unsure what to say, Serena just watched Korrina, astonished. Korrina sank to all fours again and buried her face into Lucario's chest.

"She can't take me away from here! I won't leave! I can't leave Clemont and Bonnie! I can't lose them! I can't lose any of you!"

Korrina remained in that position for a while, then slowly sat upright. She wiped her nose with her forearm. She looked upward, toward the sky.

"My whole life, I've lost people because I wasn't what they wanted me to be. My parents wanted me to be… anything other than what I am. They sent me to live with my grandpa, but he always wanted me to take my _title_ and my _duties_ more seriously. Being the successor to Mega Evolution was like life and death to him. I could never live up to what he wanted."

Korrina sighed, her breath shaking. She sniffled, then wiped her nose again.

"But then I met Clemont, and Bonnie, and Meyer. _All _of you, really. None of you wanted me to be anything other than me. I was with people who actually wanted _me_ for the first time. How can I not fight to defend that when someone threatens it?"

Serena frowned and gazed at the ground.

"So now I'm here crying about it like a big baby," said Korrina. "All because I didn't listen and I picked a fight with someone I couldn't beat. I'm so _stupid…"_

"No, you're not," said Serena.

Korrina looked at Serena. Their eyes met. Serena shook her head.

"I don't care what Palermo said," said Serena. "She's a liar. You're not a fool, and you're one of the bravest people I know."

Korrina looked away.

"I don't feel like it."

"I know how you feel," said Serena.

* * *

After having Ribombee use Pollen Puff to get Lucario on his feet again, Delphox led the way as Serena escorted Korrina and Lucario to the Pokémon Center. Unwilling to leave Lucario's side while he recovered, Korrina left Serena with the unenviable task of going home alone and explaining what happened to everyone by herself.

Fortunately, it was very late when Serena returned. She opened the door to find the house in darkness, only a dim light coming from the kitchen. After she shut the door and locked it, she paused and listened. She heard something. A vague sound of music drifted from somewhere unknown.

Serena took a few steps forward and saw Bonnie still asleep on the sofa, now with a blanket covering her. On the opposite side of the hall, she saw a figure seated at the kitchen table.

It was Meyer. He sat low in the chair, tapping his finger on the table in time with the music. The music came from an old portable radio that sat on top of the table. Next to it were a wine bottle and a book, both open.

Serena stepped toward him.

"Meyer?"

Meyer seemed to awaken from a trance. He turned his head and noticed Serena, then immediately straightened his posture.

"Oh! I didn't notice you come in," he said. "I'm glad you're back. Where's Korrina, though? What happened? Did you find her?"

"She's at the Pokémon Center with Lucario. She battled Palermo. Sh-"

"Palermo?!"

"Yes. She lost. Korrrina, I mean. She's fine, though!"

Serena approached the table. She soon realized that Meyer was not alone. Ampharos was in the kitchen, standing on the tips of his toes in order to reach the countertop with his tiny arms. He tended to a brewing pot of coffee.

Meyer leaned his head back and released an exasperated breath.

"She's too impulsive," he said. He shook his head. "She'll get in real trouble one day if she doesn't watch herself."

Meyer looked up and away. He seemed to be preoccupied with shaking his head as if in conversation with someone unseen. Serena glanced at the wine bottle. It was empty. Her eyes lingered on it for a moment until something else caught her attention, something she had failed to notice before.

There were two Poké Balls on the table. One was open. The other was closed. Serena was certain she knew the resident of the open ball. Before she could even begin to speculate about the closed one, Meyer gave her an aside glance.

"She's been great for Clemont, though. Bonnie, too."

Avoiding Meyer's eyes, Serena redirected her gaze at the book which sat open on the table. Its glossy pages were filled with photos. Her heart jolted when she realized she recognized some of the faces. She saw Clemont as a child, and Meyer as a younger man.

She was ready to excuse herself when Meyer spoke again.

"I'd offer you some, but it's all gone," he said, holding up the bottle for a moment and then clumsily placing it back down. The bottle rocked as it righted itself. "That, and it's illegal."

Serena backed away a step and held her hands up in refusal.

"No thank you," she said. "I wouldn't want any, really."

"Eh, you're not missing much," said Meyer. "I do this once or twice a year thinking that it'll be a good idea. Every time, I forget how dumb it all is, you know?"

"I... kind of do, actually."

Meyer took a second or so before he registered the response. Yet again, he looked up and shook his head.

"Oh, what am I doing?" he said. "I can't be talking to you like this. What kind of dad am I?"

Serena knew how she wanted to answer Meyer's rhetorical question, but she kept her mouth shut.

"I'm not a role model," he said. "I'm an overgrown boy who likes to collect broken toys. I'm a walking disaster. I don't know how to be a dad. I don't even know how to be an adult."

Uncertain if she should say anything, Serena shrugged and ventured a reply.

"My mom says that no one does," she said.

"Hah! Isn't that the truth!" said Meyer. "Your mom knows a thing or two, I'd say. It would be great to talk to her again, it really would."

There was something about Meyer's wistful tone of voice and bittersweet expression that made Serena cringe.

"I have to tell you," Meyer said, continuing in a suddenly louder voice, "it's been…"

He stopped to shake his head some more.

"It's been great, having you and Korrina around. It really has."

Meyer stopped again, and he looked at a photo in the album. Serena saw him adjust its position beneath the glossy plastic holding it in place.

It was taken in a hospital room. Meyer was there, thinner than he was today. By his side was Clemont, much younger, but unmistakable. The two of them stood beside a bed, in which rested a blonde-haired woman clad in a surgical gown. She cradled a newborn in her arms. Though she looked exhausted, she beamed with happiness. So did Meyer.

"Ever since their mom passed, things just haven't been the same around here," said Meyer. "It's… it's really great for Bonnie to have someone to look up to. I can't thank you enough for that. And Korrina. Even Aria, too. The poor girl."

Yet again, Meyer shook his head. Serena backed away another step. She was very much ready to leave. Once again, Meyer spoke before she could escape.

"It's good to see the house so full of people again," he said. "I've tried so hard to make it feel less empty, but nothing worked until you all showed up. It was hard, when they were gone, coming home to an empty house every night. It didn't feel worth coming home to, you know? But now with you all here, it feels… Well, it feels like a family again."

Expressionless, Serena blinked a few times. There was no way this was happening twice in one night. She excused herself.

"Well, thank you," she said. "I think I need to head to bed, though."

"Oh, of course, of course," said Meyer. "Sorry to keep you for so long. You must be tired."

"I am," said Serena. "Goodn-"

"Oh! Before you go!"

Meyer rose from the table and stumbled over to the kitchen counter. Exasperated, Ampharos scurried over to him and prepared to prop him upright in the event that he fell. Meyer remained on his feet, though. He picked up an envelope and handed it to Serena.

"Mail for you."

Serena read the large red letters stamped on the envelope, and her heart stopped.

_RETURN TO SENDER_

It was her letter to Ash.

* * *

Serena stopped in front of the bathroom with one hand on the door. Her plan was to take the letter inside, open it, have a good cry, then eventually crawl back to bed and try to get some sleep. But while her fingers lingered on the door, she reconsidered.

What was the point? Why bother grieving it? What use was there in grieving something that never was? Ash never got the letter. He never received her instructions to stop writing to her home address. He just stopped. He gave up. Why shouldn't she give up, too?

She took a glance at the letter. Her entire body ached to look at it. It was too much, the final straw, the bridge too far. She couldn't go through the pain yet again. She was far too tired for it. She was tired of everything.

So instead, Serena tucked the letter into her bag and entered the bedroom.

Aria lay sound asleep in her bed. Moving as silently as she could in the darkness, Serena attempted to cross to the other side of the room. A creaky floorboard betrayed her.

"Wh-"

Aria stirred. Serena froze.

"...Serena?"

Serena turned back to look at Aria. Aria pushed herself up and sat halfway upright on her bed. Her eyes heavy with sleep, she squinted wearily in the darkness.

"It's me," said Serena.

Propping herself up with one arm, Aria rubbed her eyes with her spare hand.

"Thank goodness you're back. I was... worried."

"I'm sorry I worried you," said Serena.

"Is everything okay?" said Aria.

"Yes."

It was as obvious a lie as Serena had ever told. It wasn't entirely false, but it was laughably far from the truth. As soon as she heard the way the word left her lips, Serena knew that Aria would see right through it, even in the dark.

"Are you okay?" said Aria. She sat further upright.

The answer was no. Serena knew that Aria knew it. Despite that, there was no way that she could tell her why. At least, not the most pertinent reason. It was too much.

Serena sighed.

"Korrina battled Palermo," she said.

"She did? What happened?"

"She lost. Badly."

"I tried to warn her."

"There was nothing you could do," said Serena. "That's just how Korrina does things."

"I just wish I could have done something."

"It wouldn't have mattered. There was nothing Korrina could do, either. Even with she and Lucario using mega evolution, Palermo and Florges..."

Serena trailed off for a moment. She swallowed.

"They almost killed Lucario," she said.

Aria's lips parted, but she said nothing.

"Palermo threatened to kill Lucario if Korrina didn't surrender. It was..."

Serena covered her face with both hands and breathed deeply into them. She shook her head.

"It was awful," she said.

"I'm sure it was," said Aria.

"It was... really scary, honestly."

"I'm sorry you had to see that."

Serena uncovered her face. She looked at Aria.

"I didn't _have_ to," she said. "It just felt like the right thing to do. It felt like the only thing I _could _do. But I didn't even help! I couldn't! I was... too scared to do it."

Serena hung her head again. Several seconds passed in silence.

"You're a good friend, you know that?" said Aria.

Serena scoffed.

"I hid while Palermo humiliated Korrina. What kind of friend does that?"

"One who has the courage to go after her."

"I didn't do anything!"

"You did more than anyone else here. No one else went after her. Not even Clemont."

"Clemont knew better," said Serena.

"Clemont was afraid, too," said Aria. "You went after her, though. You did your best to help."

"I really didn't."

"You really did."

Serena slumped her shoulders.

"Just let me feel like a failure, okay?" she said.

"No."

Serena opened her mouth to fire off a scathing retort, but it got caught in her throat as Aria swung her legs over the side of the bed and sat on the edge, leaning over to pick up her bag. Aria reached into it, then pulled something from it.

"I had intended to save this for a more suitable time, but I'm not certain a better opportunity is going to present itself," said Aria.

"Huh?"

Aria held something in her lap, hidden from sight behind her bag, which rested atop her knees. There was an uncertain expression on her face.

"I... have something for you, actually," said Aria.

The tightness in Serena's face slackened.

"You do?"

Aria nodded.

"I thought you might find it useful, perhaps now more so than ever. Here."

Aria removed her bag from her knees and placed it on the floor again. Then, with both hands, she held up an unidentifiable, lumpy-looking object.

Serena stepped forward. In the darkness, she could only faintly trace the outline of the object, unable to discern its form.

One thing was clear, though. It was a brilliant shade of red, a vibrant crimson. She extended a hand toward it.

"What is it?"

"Take it, and you'll see."

Serena gripped the object with one hand. She felt soft, bulky fabric beneath her fingertips. She pulled away and found that much of the object did not move with her. She held only one segment of it. She reached with her other hand and soon discovered that she held a long, flowing ribbon of fabric, lengths of it dangling to the floor from both hands.

It was a scarf.

Astonished, Serena ran the lengths of it through her hands, trying in vain to examine it closer in the darkness. Her eyes wide, she shook her head as she struggled to form words.

"Aria, I- ...what is this? How?"

"You got cold while we were out on our walk the other night," said Aria. "I saw this in one of the stores we visited. I called and ordered it for you. Korrina picked it up for me."

"But... how did you afford this? I can't let you spend money on me! Not in the position you're in!"

"I'm not completely broke," said Aria. "Not anymore, anyway. Meyer pays me, you know."

"But that money is supposed to be to help you escape this mess!"

"That's exactly what I spent it on."

Serena looked up and stared at Aria, agape.

"In a manner of speaking, anyway," Aria added.

Serena glanced at the scarf again. Without any conscious thought to do it, she lifted it above her head and slipped it around the back of her neck like it was the most obvious thing in the world, operating on pure instinct. Slowly, she wrapped the ends of it around her neck once each, leaving two lengths of it dangling, one on each side.

She wasn't certain if she was warm because of the scarf itself, or because her face was steadily turning the same color as the scarf.

"Aria..."

"Do you like it?" Aria said, looking bashfully up at her.

All Serena could do was nod. Her eyes remained fixed on the scarf even as she slowly approached Aria's bed.

With Serena standing directly in front of her, Aria froze.

"What are you doing?"

Serena let her bag down from her shoulder and placed it on the floor. Then, prying the heels off with her toes, she slipped off her shoes.

"Something I should have done a long time ago."

In a single, fluid motion, Serena turned around, sat on the edge of the bed beside Aria, and wrapped her arms around her. Leaning into her, Serena closed her eyes and tucked her head up against Aria's shoulder. Aria gasped upon contact. Serena felt Aria freeze beneath her touch, going rigid. It felt almost as if she were trying to pull away, yet stopped herself.

"Serena-!"

"_Shh."_

Serena quietly shushed Aria, shaking her head with her forehead against Aria's shoulder, nuzzling closer in the process. She felt Aria's trembling hand rise to meet her back.

"Are... you-?"

"I'm cuddling with you."

As if a wave of electricity surged through Aria's body, Serena felt her spasm, the tension releasing all at once. Aria flung her arms around Serena, and the two of them both nuzzled up against each other, closing all the distance between them.

A few seconds later, their balance upset by the sudden shift of weight, they slumped backward together onto the bed. Startled, they separated slightly, enough to see each other's faces. Serena was surprised to see fear in Aria's eyes.

"Serena, I-"

Aria couldn't finish her sentence. She just halted, her eyes wide, cheeks red, lips parted, unable to say any more. Even from a distance, Serena could feel the heat rising on Aria's face, and the racing of her heart. As her own heart skipped a beat, she smiled in reassurance.

"I need this," said Serena. "I need _you."_

Aria made an unintelligible sound, something that was meant to be a word of exclamation but instead turned into a stifled cry, muted as she buried her face into Serena's shoulder once again. Shaking, Aria's breathing was heavy and ragged, unsteady as she tried to catch her breath but seemingly could not. All the while, Serena slowly ran her hand up and down Aria's back, smoothing over the fabric of her shirt.

Silence took hold. Serena felt as though she should say something, but nothing worth saying came to mind. After a while, she perished the thought and instead leaned her head in closer, burying her nose in Aria's hair.

She smelled nice.

Together, they remained that way for longer than Serena could be certain. As time passed, Serena became aware of the gradual slowing of Aria's breathing. Her body became heavier against her, and very still. Sleep took hold.

Once Serena was certain Aria was asleep, she slowly, methodically pulled away, extracting her trapped limbs from beneath her. When she rose from the bed, Aria did not stir, nor did she when Serena pulled the sheets back over her.

"Goodnight," Serena whispered.

For a moment longer, Serena lingered over Aria. With her eyes focused on Aria's cheek, the thought of a goodnight kiss crossed Serena's mind. She hesitated.

In the end, the moment passed. Serena turned and went to her own bed alone, leaving Aria behind her in the darkness.


	9. Someone Like Him

Chapter Nine - Someone Like Him

The next morning, Serena jolted awake as soon as she regained enough of her consciousness to remember the events of the previous day. Before she had enough time to so much as sit up and yawn, her heart jumped and her stomach sank as all the memories returned to her. How she had managed to fall asleep at all was a mystery to her. Too much had happened all at once. Clemont and Korrina's gyms, Korrina's ill-fated battle with Palermo, her own encounter with a drunken Meyer, Ash's returned letter... it was all too much. And then, of course, what had happened after all of that was yet another step too far.

Serena sat upright and realized that she was still in her day clothes. The only part of her regular attire that was missing was her shoes. They did not reside at her bedside as they usually did, though. Her heart palpitated at the memory of what she had done with them. Her eyes confirmed it. She looked, and she saw her shoes discarded at Aria's bedside. Her eyes widened, and she covered her face with both hands while she inhaled a long, deep breath through her nose, then slumped backward onto her bed again.

Pulling her hands away so that she could stare up at the ceiling, her fingers touched something unexpected. Her heart skipped yet another beat. The fabric was still there. She ran it between her fingers. The scarf. The scarf Aria had given to her. She had not removed it. She had worn it all night.

Serena picked up one of the loose ends of the scarf and held it up so she could see it. Even in the dark, the scarf's color had been obvious. It was a deep, striking red, so much so that _red_ felt insufficient to describe it. _Scarlet_ seemed more appropriate. As Serena remembered everything that had transpired after receiving it, she began to turn a similar color. Feeling the heat rising on her face, she loosened the scarf around her neck.

For a while, she remained there in silence, intermittently admiring the scarf and staring at the ceiling, her thoughts whirling inside her head like a storm. The silence came to an abrupt end when there was a click followed by a burst of light and an unmistakable buzzing sound. Startled, Serena rolled onto her side and then sat up as she saw Ribombee emerge from inside her bag.

Even more energetic than usual, Ribombee trilled as she zipped around Serena's head several times at a dizzying pace. Serena raised a finger to her lips and tried in vain to make eye contact with Ribombee, or do anything to get her attention.

_"Shh!" _Serena whispered. "I think Aria's still asleep!"

Ribombee snapped to a halt in midair, but only for a second. A moment later, she landed on Serena's shoulder, vibrating with excitement.

"What's gotten into you this morning?"

A curious look in her eyes, Ribombee inched closer toward Serena's neck. Cautiously, she reached out with one hand, then touched Serena's scarf.

"Oh, right. I guess this is new to you, isn't it?"

Ribombee scooped up as much loose fabric as she could in her tiny arms and then rubbed her face in it.

"Aria gave it to me."

Ribombee uncovered her face. She gleamed up at Serena for a moment with her dewy eyes. Then, she took hold of her own tiny scarf, chirping as she rubbed it against her face. Serena paused for a moment, but then realized.

"We match now, don't we?"

Ribombee chirped louder, then took to the air again. Singing, she danced about in front of Serena, twirling her scarf. Serena bit down on the inside of her lip and suppressed a giggle.

Her moment of laughter ended immediately when she saw Aria sit upright. As quickly as it had begun, Ribombee's dance ended. She zoomed to the other side of the room and rapidly circled Aria several times before landing atop her head. Dazed, Aria looked up, blinked heavily, then rubbed her bleary eyes. When she opened them again, she looked at Serena. Serena saw Aria's eyes land directly on the scarf, then shift back up to her face.

"So... I wasn't dreaming," said Aria.

Serena looked down at the scarf, raised a hand to it, and took hold of the soft fabric.

Her heart jumped. The memory of the motion lingered in her muscles. She had done the exact same thing so many times before with Ash's ribbon.

She looked at Aria. A wave of heat pulsed over her face.

"No, you weren't," she said.

Aria pursed her lips for a moment. She looked aside.

"Do you like it?"

"I love it."

Aria met Serena's eyes again, but only for a moment. She sighed and turned away.

"Good," she said. "That's... good."

She bowed her head, lips tight. Ribombee went tumbling off, then took to the air again. Aria looked up at Ribombee for a moment, then closed her eyes and shook her head.

"I shouldn't have," said Aria. "I really shouldn't have done that."

"I'm really glad you did," said Serena. "I needed it, more than you know."

Aria shot Serena an aside glance, then shook her head again.

"You don't need me," she said.

"That's not true!"

Her legs still covered by the sheets, Aria pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her arms around them, hiding her face behind them.

"Don't make this harder than it has to be just because I made a mistake," said Aria. "I shouldn't have done that and we both know it. Don't pretend it isn't the truth."

"You didn't make a mistake."

"Yes, I did."

"No, you didn't!"

Aria inhaled and then exhaled very slowly, her face still hidden. After a brief silence, she looked up at Serena. Serena had never seen her look so lost.

"Serena, what are we even doing?" said Aria.

"I-"

"What are we? What's the point of all this? What _was _last night?"

Serena rose from her bed.

"Because... I don't know," said Aria.

Aria looked as though she had something more to say, but the words got lost as Serena approached her. Stepping slowly, Serena unwound the scarf around her neck until it merely dangled over her shoulders. She stopped at Aria's bedside, then knelt down.

Their faces at an even height, they stared at each other. Breathless, Serena's heart pounded.

After several silent seconds, Serena broke eye contact. She looked down at the two lengths of the scarf dangling from her shoulders. She took hold of the ends with both hands, then evened them out, leaving an equal amount of fabric hanging from both sides. When she looked back up at Aria, she found her shaking as she drew an unsteady breath.

Aria's breath halted in a silent gasp as Serena reached out to her with both hands, still holding the ends of the scarf.

"Serena?"

Serena wrapped her arms around Aria's back. In the center, her hands met. There, she made an exchange with herself, each hand passing one end of the scarf to the other. Her hands damp with sweat, she tightened her grip.

She pulled. The scarf cinched the two of them together, drawing them together as if in the center of a knot. Startled, Aria reached up and placed her hands on Serena's shoulders, almost as if to brace herself.

With their faces only a few inches apart, Serena stopped.

"I can explain," said Serena.

Pulling the scarf taut again, she closed the distance between them. She closed her eyes.

She kissed her.

* * *

Serena spent the rest of the morning in a daze. Though she made breakfast for herself, she barely touched it. Instead, she sat at the kitchen table staring aimlessly into space while her tea and her croissant went cold. The images and words of what had happened played over and over again in her eyes and her ears, like a film stuck on repeat inside her mind. The more she thought about it, the less real it felt.

She had kissed Aria.

It had not been a mere kiss on the cheek like the one Aria had once given to her. Aria's reaction lingered on her lips as if she were still there, the feeling still with her, a phantom sensation. The sound Aria had made still rang in her ears, echoing over and over again. In slow motion, it all played back, again and again and again. When their lips touched, Aria froze for a moment, then completely melted. Whatever it was she intended to say got lost on the way out, caught somewhere in her throat. There, it mingled with a mess of other words and emotions before it all eventually came out. It was a messy, muffled sound. It had interrupted their kiss as Aria sputtered it against her lips. It was everything all at once, too many emotions to be put into words, too many feelings too contradictory to ever explain. It was something like a cry and an exclamation and a laugh and a moan, all at the same time.

And when it passed, Aria slipped her arms beneath the binding lengths of the scarf, pulled Serena in closer, and kissed her back.

When the kiss ended, they remained there for a while, bound in an embrace. Eventually, Aria excused herself. She ran to the bathroom. When Serena passed the door on her way downstairs, she wasn't sure, but she thought she heard Aria sniffling inside.

Now, hours later, she continued to sit at the kitchen table, stunned. Midday approached, yet there had been hardly any signs of activity at all elsewhere in the house. Aside from Bonnie briefly entering the kitchen to grab breakfast, no one else stirred. Serena suspected that Meyer was nursing the aftereffects of his ill-advised binge and that Clemont had likely stayed up all night and was only now catching up on sleep.

Her trance broke when the front door opened. She jumped in surprise, the sound of the door alarmingly loud after such prolonged silence. She scrambled to sit upright in her chair. It was only then, during a momentary glance at the table, that she realized her breakfast was still there, untouched.

Just as Serena was about to call out and ask who was there, she heard a familiar voice.

"I'm back."

Korrina stepped into view from the foyer. For a moment, she peered around the empty house, stopping when her eyes landed on Serena.

Serena opened her mouth to try to say something, but nothing came out. There was too much to say. Korrina spoke again before she did.

"Hey," said Korrina. She raised one hand in Serena's direction in a weak wave, then let it fall to her side again. She stepped into the kitchen.

Serena kept her eyes glued on Korrina. Never before had she seen Korrina look so tired, so weary, so fragile. The ever-present fire in her eyes was nowhere to be seen. Instead, dark circles cast heavy shadows beneath her eyes. Serena wondered if Korrina had slept at all. If so, she figured that of all the possible habits Korrina could have picked up from Clemont, that one was the worst.

"Is Lucario okay?" said Serena.

Korrina slung her bag off her shoulder and placed it on the table. She dug into it and pulled out a Poké Ball.

"He's fine," she said. "I've got him right here. It's going to be a few days before he's back to normal, but he'll be alright."

"That's good."

"Yeah, it could have been a lot worse," said Korrina. "You and Ribombee really helped. If she hadn't healed him right there when she did... well, he would probably still be at the Pokémon Center."

Serena couldn't think of anything meaningful to say. Nothing felt right. It all seemed vacuous, trivial in comparison to what had nearly happened. Despite wanting to speak, she pursed her lips and looked aside.

Her eyes shot back toward Korrina when Korrina spoke up again.

"But hey! No need to be down about it! We took a beating, but that's okay. Lucario's gonna be fine. He just needs some rest."

Serena's eyes lingered on Korrina's face. Everything she saw was a lie, a tragic, bitter, obvious lie. Despite the smile Korrina had forced onto her face, her eyes remained the same. It was all a charade, a façade, a futile attempt to pretend that she was okay and that so was everything else.

Somewhere in the pause that followed, Serena could have sworn she heard Korrina say that she also needed a rest. When she heard another voice, she supposed it was nothing more than her mind connecting the dots.

The pause ended with a thunderous rumble as Bonnie bounded down the stairs and threw herself onto Korrina.

"Korrina!"

Bonnie wrapped Korrina up in an enormous hug and squeezed as if she wanted to permanently attach herself to her.

"You're okay!"

"Yeah, I'm fine," said Korrina.

Bonnie pulled back and glared up at Korrina with a grimace on her face.

"You better be fine!" said Bonnie. "We were worried!"

Korrina raised a hand to the back of her neck.

"I know. I'm sorry. I'm okay, really. Lucario is, too."

Bonnie did not appear to be listening. Instead, she turned around, cupped her hands around her mouth like a funnel, and shouted up the stairs.

_"Clemont! Get down here!"_

A few seconds later, footsteps came from above, followed by the sound of a door opening. Clemont emerged from his room and appeared at the top of the stairs. His hair disheveled, he fumbled with his glasses as he hurried to place them on his face.

"Bonnie! What in the world is the matter? How many times have I told you-"

Clemont froze mid-sentence as he slipped his glasses over his eyes. Serena could see the gears turning inside his head behind the lenses as his eyes landed squarely on Korrina.

"You're back," said Clemont.

Korrina nodded.

"I'm back."

Clemont adjusted his glasses as he shambled down the stairs. He ruffled his hair as if trying to shake the sleep from his head. At the bottom, he came to a stop and stood before Korrina.

There was a tense pause.

"I can barely express how relieved I am to see that you appear to be unharmed," said Clemont. He scratched his cheek with one finger. "I confess that I was quite concerned for your safety when you left. I was all but certain that you were making a remarkably reckless and dangerous mistake."

"It was a mistake," said Korrina. "I didn't think. I should have listened, to you and Aria and everyone else."

Clemont nodded. Serena had the distinct impression that there was something he wanted to say, but decided not to say it.

"I'm sorry," said Korrina. "I wish I hadn't worried you. I wish I hadn't gone."

"My only regret is that I did not have the courage to follow you."

"Huh?"

Korrina's eyes widened in surprise. Clemont nodded once again. He looked at the floor for a moment, then back up at Korrina.

"I know it's illogical, but you've shown me that sometimes abandoning reason is the only thing to do. The world isn't a very logical place, after all."

Korrina struggled to say anything. Clemont let out something like an amused, halfhearted laugh.

"You would think that I would have learned that after spending so much time around Ash," he said, scratching his cheek again. "It seems that we all have lessons we have to learn the hard way."

Serena's heart lurched at the mention of Ash's name. A momentary panic swept over her. No one else knew, but surely everyone could see it. It was written on her face, plain as day.

No one looked at her, though.

"Even if you fought with me, I don't think we would have beaten her," said Korrina. "Serena was right. We need Ash."

Again, Serena's heart jumped.

"Or someone like him, anyway," said Clemont. "I suspected as much, but that doesn't change my sentiment. I wish I had found the strength and courage to battle alongside you. Even if we were defeated, at least we would have been defeated together."

"Clemont..."

"I don't like being in the position that I'm in right now," said Clemont. "I wish that you could tell me that I was wrong. I wish I wasn't right about this. I don't want to stand here and lecture you from a position of superiority. We're supposed to be a team. I don't want to argue with you. I want to be on the same side as you. Because of that, I wish I had been able to summon the courage to put my fears aside for once, regardless of the consequences. Being with you is worth more than me being right."

Korrina's face went slack in astonishment.

"I-"

Clemont smiled awkwardly.

"I say that I don't want to lecture you, and yet I say all that," he said. "I think I've said enough."

Korrina reached out to him, grabbed him by the shoulders, then pulled him in and wrapped him up in a tight embrace. Bashfully, Clemont returned the embrace. With his head over her shoulder, he turned his eyes to look toward her.

"I suppose actions speak louder than words, don't they?" he said.

"I love you."

Some words spoke louder than others.

Bonnie gasped. Both Serena's heart and her train of thought came screeching to a halt. Momentarily stunned, there was a brief pause before Clemont closed his eyes and deepened the embrace.

"I love you, too."

* * *

The remainder of the day crawled past. Never in her life could Serena recall time passing so slowly. Every minute felt like an hour. Every single one of those minutes was awkward, with nervous, unspoken tension flowing through her veins. Nothing was the same anymore. Everything felt different.

She spent much of the day lazing around in bed under the premise of needing a nap. Despite how true that was, sleep was out of the question. Her mind was in overdrive. On the other side of the room, Aria sat by the windowsill, reading by the thin ray of light that peeked through the space between the curtains. She remained quiet all day. All the while, there was a faint but definite smile on her lips.

Every now and then, when Serena glanced over in Aria's direction, she caught Aria glancing at her.

That night, when fatigue overcame her and she was on the verge of drifting off to sleep at last, she was awoken by something both unexpected and unsurprising. She opened her eyes to find Aria leaning over the bed, her eyes closed, holding her loose, dangling hair back with one hand. She pressed her lips to Serena's.

"Goodnight," said Aria.

"Goodnight."

When the next day came, time moved erratically and blindingly fast, with that day spilling into the next one, and the day after that, and so on until the end of the week. Serena felt as though she were standing still in a crowd as the world moved around her, with words being said and plans being made while she sleepwalked through every day.

There was no way to avoid it – Korrina had to return to Shalour City to sort out the mess with her gym. It would only be temporary, or so she hoped. Maybe a few days, maybe a few weeks. No one knew. Together with Clemont and Bonnie, Serena saw her off at the train station. Aria expressed her condolences that she wished she could come, too, but leaving the house seemed too dangerous.

With heavy hearts, Korrina boarded the train and everyone else stayed behind, waving her goodbye for now as she slipped away, down the tracks and out of sight. Without her, the house was almost eerily quiet. Not even Bonnie could make up for her absence.

The evening Korrina left, Serena stopped as she passed the door to Clemont's room. As always, the door was open, and Clemont sat at his computer desk, eyes glued to the many screens. Silently, Serena stepped into the doorway. Despite casting a shadow across the room, Clemont did not seem to notice. She hesitated for a few seconds before gently knocking her knuckles on the door.

"Oh, hello," said Clemont. He sat upright and swiveled in his chair to face her.

"Hey."

"Is there something the matter?"

"Not really," said Serena. "Do you have a minute, though?"

"Certainly," said Clemont. "I'm not currently involved in anything critical."

"Do you mind if I shut the door?"

"No, I don't, although that leads me to believe that something actually is the matter."

Serena stepped inside, gently shut the door behind her, and sighed.

"You're right, as usual," she said, approaching him. "That's... kind of why I'm here."

"I'm not certain I follow."

"I'm here for advice."

"About what, exactly?"

"A few different things," said Serena. "That, and I have some questions for you."

"Well, I suppose I'll do my best to help you and to provide you with answers, then. What's on your mind?"

For lack of another chair, Serena sat down on the floor beside Clemont's desk with her back against the wall. With her legs stretched out across the floor, she folded her hands over her stomach and looked up at the ceiling.

"It's been a while since we've talked like this, hasn't it?" said Serena.

"It has," said Clemont. "Not without good reason, though."

"I'm sorry about what I said last time, about being jealous of what you and Korrina have. That was... really petty of me. I wish I hadn't said it."

"No offense taken," said Clemont. "I accept your apology anyway. May I ask, though, what brought this on? I had almost entirely forgotten about the incident in question."

"Honestly, I don't know," said Serena. "It's not just _one _thing that made me think of it. It's a whole bunch of things."

"Has this been weighing on your mind as of late?"

"No, but a lot of other things have."

"Understandable."

"I just... wanted to apologize to you for that, because seeing what you two have, it feels really wrong for me to say I'm jealous of it. It's not right of me to think like that."

"Jealousy isn't a thought," said Clemont. "It's a feeling. There's nothing wrong with feeling one way or another about anything."

Serena stared blankly at Clemont.

"Our feelings are beyond our control," said Clemont. "Our _thoughts_ are another matter, of course."

"But... what if our _feelings _really hurt somebody?"

"The only people who can be hurt by our feelings are ourselves," said Clemont.

Serena tilted her head.

"I _really _don't think that's true," she said.

"Actions can hurt others. What we think and feel is entirely our own."

"What if Korrina fell in love with someone else?" said Serena. "Wouldn't her feelings hurt you then?"

Clemont's expression tightened. He rubbed his chin and nodded, thinking.

"As much as I dislike admitting it, most logic seems to fall apart when applied to love, doesn't it?"

"That's why it's always so hard to figure out," said Serena. "It never makes any sense."

"I disagree," said Clemont. "I think it all makes more sense than you may realize."

"But you just said it wasn't logical!"

"Logical, no, but it does follow an identifiable chain of cause and effect."

Serena squinted in confusion and shook her head.

"What are you talking about?" she said.

"I know it's a terribly cynical way of thinking about it and that most people are uncomfortable with the idea, but really, psychology is an applied form of chemistry. Everything we think and feel is the result of chemical reactions inside our brains. The only reason it looks like something different is because the system is too complex for us to fully understand with our current science. Regardless, neurons and synapses are electrochemical systems. It's all just chemistry, and a bit of physics."

Serena stared at Clemont, agape. Clemont looked aside.

_"Everything_ is just physics, really," he muttered as if speaking to no one in particular.

"It _can't _be that simple," said Serena.

"It's not simple at all," said Clemont. "If it was, brain surgery wouldn't be the notoriously complicated field that it is. Psychology, sociology, economics, and perhaps even _history_ would all be solved, fully-understood fields of study. That's beside the point, though! My point is that our emotions are beyond our control. Our feelings are chemical reactions. It's all purely physical, and we're incapable of controlling physics. Those laws are absolute. We can't change them."

Serena stared at her lap. If anything, the idea gave her even less comfort than what she previously thought.

Clemont took a deep breath and continued.

"So, love and attraction may not make much sense to us on a logical level, but on a physical level they are the nervous system's natural response to certain stimuli. People say they can't help falling in love because it's true. They really can't."

"But-"

Serena stopped herself, grasping for words.

"You make it sound so meaningless!" she said.

"It's not meaningless at all," said Clemont. "It has whatever meaning we want to give it. Just look at the incredible quantity of art, literature, and even technology that has been produced throughout history because of love. Love has meant more than anything to more people than we could possibly imagine."

"Does it mean anything to you?"

Clemont's face tightened. He swallowed before he continued. When he spoke again, it was not in his typical professorial tone of voice. It was much more serious.

"Very much so," he said. "More so than I think you understand."

Serena shut her eyes and bowed her head.

_"Why _do I say things like that?" she groaned, covering her face with both hands.

"What you asked was a perfectly reasonable question," said Clemont. "I don't hold it against you."

"Maybe, but I didn't have to be so tactless about it!"

"There was nothing wrong with what you asked," said Clemont. "Most people – in fact, practically everyone, I think – are uncomfortable with the idea that our conscious experience is merely an abstraction of a purely physical existence. Many people reject the idea because they feel it renders our existence meaningless, and that it undermines the concept of free will. I prefer a different perspective, though."

Clemont looked up at the ceiling. He adjusted his glasses.

"I find inspiration in it. It's a miracle that any of these systems work at all. Our mere existence is phenomenal. The odds that we would not exist, that we would experience _nothing_ instead of _something, _are incalculable. And yet, here we are, in bold defiance of those odds. Many people don't agree with me, but I find deep meaning in that. It doesn't matter if we're all just collections of particles interacting with each other. We exist. We think, we feel, and we do. _That_ is the most remarkable thing of all."

Clemont looked at Serena again. He smirked, exactly the same way she had seen him every time he had debuted a new invention.

"Now, I'm sure you're wondering, _what is the meaning of life?"_

Serena stared at him. She blinked a few times.

"Well, I regret to inform you that the question falls outside my realm of expertise," said Clemont. "That's a conundrum of philosophy, not science. I don't have the answer."

Serena slumped her shoulders.

"So, what's the point of all this?" she said.

"Humans are illogical by nature. So is love. It happens if the conditions are right, regardless of whether or not we want it or consciously will it to happen. The same is true of all feelings. There is no shame in feeling any of them."

"Would you feel ashamed if you fell in love with someone other than Korrina?"

"Well, perhaps," said Clemont. "It would depend on how I handled the situation. If I chose not to act upon those feelings and instead discussed what I was feeling openly and honestly with Korrina, I don't think I would have anything to be ashamed of."

A wave of heat washed over Serena's face.

"I... feel very ashamed."

"Why?"

"Because I'm falling in love with someone other than Ash."

Clemont gave her a knowing nod.

"I suspected as much," he said.

Serena's eyes snapped up to meet his.

"You did?"

"I mean no offense, but it was fairly obvious, even to me."

Serena blushed in earnest. She pulled her knees up to her chest, hid her face, and groaned.

"I guess it doesn't help that Bonnie is running around with a _diagram _of everyone's relationship status at all times," Serena grumbled.

"I... really wish she wouldn't do that," said Clemont. "But, to be honest, as selfish as it is for me to admit this, I prefer it to her proposing on my behalf to every girl she meets."

Serena peeked up above her knees and stared at the opposite wall for a while.

"How do you all not hate me?" she said. "How come none of you think I'm just the worst person there is?"

"In part because right now we're all being conspired against by someone who is a strong contender for that title," said Clemont.

"Well, true, but that doesn't make me feel any better!"

"More so because you obviously don't want to hurt anybody. You're dealing with everything the best you can."

"My best is pretty terrible."

"You're not a bad person. You're a very good one, as a matter of fact."

"But... what about Ash?"

Clemont folded his arms. He tightened his lips and drew in a long breath through his nose. Serena spoke again.

"The last thing I said to him was that I loved him! And now... _this!"_

"It's a complicated situation," said Clemont.

"When he comes back and finds-"

Clemont held up one finger and stopped her.

_"If _he comes back," he said.

Serena went abruptly silent. There was a stern, solemn look on Clemont's face, one that she had rarely if ever seen before. While she stared at him, Clemont removed his glasses. He rubbed his temples and craned his neck up toward the ceiling, then leaned back in his chair.

"Ash is probably the single most outstanding person I've ever known," said Clemont. "Meeting him was arguably the best thing that ever happened to me. Should I be so lucky, decades from now I suspect that when I reflect on my life, my time traveling with him will be its greatest highlight. I am privileged to have had such a rare and unique opportunity in my life, and Ash has unquestionably made my life better by being a part of it. I consider it an honor to be able to call him my friend."

Clemont paused. Still gazing at the ceiling, he shook his head.

"But, when I said goodbye to him at the airport the day he left Kalos, I did so with the expectation that I would never see him again. You know the stories. He always moves from one adventure to the next. He never comes back. He doesn't stay in touch. He moves on. Ash is a truly great person, but he's not perfect. I will always consider him my friend, but-"

Clemont let out a sharp breath through his nose. He rubbed his forehead, then closed his eyes.

"I know better than to believe that people will always come back."

Serena stared at him, speechless. Clemont sighed, then pulled himself fully upright again. With his glasses off, he continued to gaze off into the distance.

"I apologize for making the mood even more depressing," he said. "Unfortunately, there are some difficult truths about life that are challenging to understand without experiencing the death of a parent."

Clemont looked toward the far wall. His Aipom Arm backpack hung there on a hook.

"There are reasons why I am so protective of Bonnie that transcend merely loving her because she's my sister. There are reasons why I never want to throw myself into danger or allow anyone else I love to do it. The greatest among them is that I never want to see the people I love experience that kind of pain again."

All was quiet and still for a while. Time passed in silence. Serena supposed it was at least a minute, maybe a few. She was the one to eventually break the silence.

"Clemont?"

"Hmm?"

Clemont snapped back to attention and placed his glasses back on his face.

"When you said that we needed someone _like _Ash to stop Palermo, what did you mean?"

Clemont thought for a moment, then gave a slight shrug and a shake of the head.

"I did not intend for there to be a greater meaning to it," he said.

"But what did you mean?"

"I meant that while Palermo is certainly strong and her defenses seem insurmountable to us at the moment, she is not the strongest trainer in the world. She likely is not the strongest trainer in Kalos, nor even in Lumiose City. We may not need _Ash_ specifically to defeat her."

"But... who?" said Serena. "Who else would help us? No one else understands what's happening! Ash is probably the only trainer in the world who is strong enough to beat her and would actually believe us!"

"I wish I had an answer," said Clemont. "I'm not certain. I suppose that more than anything my point is that we are not out of options, and that we should be prepared to explore them if Ash never returns. I admit that I don't know what those options are, but I do not believe that this situation is as hopeless as it seems, even without Ash's help."

"I wish I agreed," said Serena.

"Well, I take no offense from you feeling differently about the situation."

Serena stood.

"I'm sorry I came in here and was such a downer," she said.

"There is no need to apologize. These are difficult times. We all have a great deal of negative emotion inside of us that needs to be expressed. I am equally culpable, if not more so."

Serena glanced at Clemont's array of monitors. They had all cut to a screen saver.

"I'll let you get back to work," said Serena.

She headed for the door. She stopped when Clemont interrupted her.

"Serena?"

"Hmm?"

Serena turned around and saw Clemont's eyes on her, an expectant look on his face.

"Could I have your permission to ask you a personal question?"

"Um."

Serena hesitated. Clemont could not have made it any more awkward if he had tried. Then again, given the conversation that had taken place in here, it was doubtful that anything he asked could possibly cut too deep. How could anything be off-limits anymore?

"...okay," she said.

"Do you really believe that Ash is the only person in the world for you?"

"I used to."

* * *

Time continued its steady, inscrutable march. The days that followed all seemed to blend together in Serena's head. Each day was the same. Serena went off to work and sorted parts mindlessly until it was time to go home. When she got home, she found the bedroom a little bit more organized than when she left, a sign of Aria's progress on her task. The word from Korrina, if there was any, was always that it would be just a few more days before she could return, the legal situation with her gym becoming more convoluted by the day. Every night, she and Aria shared a goodnight kiss.

Some days, they shared more than a goodnight kiss. Some days, Serena found herself standing in front of the bathroom mirror splashing cold water on her red face, grateful that she had kept her wits about herself for long enough to escape before discarding any of her clothes. Some days, she would stand in the shower until the hot water ran out wondering how any of this ever happened. Some days, she wondered how she would ever be able to explain any of it to anyone who wasn't there.

One morning, a couple of weeks after Korrina left, she opened the front door as she left for work and found something on the front step. It was a newspaper.

They didn't get the newspaper.

And on the front page of that newspaper was a familiar face and an eye-catching headline.

_ALOLA LEAGUE CROWNS FIRST-EVER CHAMPION_

It was a photo of Ash standing triumphant in the middle of a battlefield, holding a trophy high above his head. Pikachu was on his shoulder, holding up his classic victory sign.

Serena smiled sadly. He had done it. He had accomplished his dream. She folded the newspaper in half and slipped it through the mail slot on the door. She figured the others would like to know.

She didn't accomplish much at work that day. Around lunchtime, it occurred to her that Delphox had been doing all the work for her the entire day, levitating parts and placing them in different boxes without any command. Serena knew she didn't need any command at this point. She understood exactly what to do.

Serena snapped out of her trance when she noticed Delphox look at her and stop.

"Is something wrong?"

Delphox gave her an imperious look, then looked away as if to return to her work.

"I haven't been keeping up today, have I?"

Delphox shot her another glance.

"I'm sorry for making you do all the work. I'll do better to keep up, I promise. My mind is just... all over the place today."

Delphox chuffed. Serena's eyes narrowed.

"What?"

Delphox neither looked at her nor responded.

"Sorry..."

There was another minute or two of silence. It made Serena uneasy. She spoke up again.

"We... really haven't communicated well in a while, have we?"

Delphox paused in the middle of suspending several parts in midair. She looked at Serena, her mouth slightly open.

"I'm sorry. I don't know what I'm doing. I wish I was a better trainer. You deserve better than this."

Delphox gently brought all of the parts in the air down to a rest on the countertop.

"That's why I offered you the chance to go with Ash. He's a way better trainer than I am. He's so good at understanding his Pokémon. I just mess up all the time."

Delphox stared at her.

"You never seem happy anymore, and I feel like that's my responsibility, like it has to be because of me. I've been trying so hard to figure out what it is that I don't understand or don't have, but I haven't found it yet, and I feel like I've really neglected you because of it. We used to be so close, but then, well, everything happened, and things got... weird."

Delphox looked to be in thought for a moment, but she did not respond.

"And now, I keep having this feeling that you know something that I don't. I don't have a clue what it is, though. Can you see something that I can't?"

Serena's train of thought took one more step, and she spoke again.

"Can you see the future or something?"

Delphox gave her an uncertain look.

"Can you... _read my mind?"_

Delphox's utter lack of response made Serena feel like a fool for even suggesting such a thing. The answer was obvious before she ever asked the question. Of course Delphox couldn't read her mind. If she could, there would be no communication barrier. The entire conversation never would have happened.

Plus, the deeper implications made Serena rather uncomfortable. For the remainder of the day, her thoughts dwelled on the idea. It made her head hurt.

She was quite glad that Delphox was not a mind reader, she decided.

She remained glad about that as her workday came to an end. While Meyer continued to work in the back, Serena closed up the front of the shop, then stepped out and locked up. As always, Meyer wouldn't be home until later. Likewise, Serena made the walk home alone.

A gust of wind cut right through her. She adjusted her scarf, tightening it around her neck. Autumn was coming to an end. Only the most stubborn leaves remained on the trees. When the wind didn't take it away, her breath lingered in the air behind her, the steam rising and vanishing into the dark sky. It was only early evening, but it already felt like nighttime. It was the coldest night so far in her time in Lumiose City. It was the first taste of winter.

Rarely had she been so glad to see the front steps of Clemont's house. She eagerly anticipated the warmth inside. It seemed she was not alone.

Serena jumped in surprise. The instant she placed a foot on the bottom step, a Poké Ball burst open inside her bag. Ribombee came flying out in a frenzy. Chirping and trilling like mad, practically singing with joy, Ribombee rocketed toward the door.

Before Serena could say anything, let alone stop her, Ribombee flipped up the hatch on the mail slot, wedged herself into it, and slipped through the door.

Confused, Serena stood there for a few seconds wondering what had happened. Another gust of wind urged her to move. She climbed the remaining steps, turned the lock, and opened the door.

Immediately, she was greeted by Ribombee's incessant singing.

Then, she heard a voice.

_"Goodness! Cutiefly, is that-"_

Serena's heart stopped. Her blood ran cold. The sound of the door shutting behind her silenced the chatter in the kitchen.

Though she wanted to remain rooted to the spot, her feet carried her forward against her will. She turned the corner. She stopped in her tracks.

Ash and Lillie stood in the kitchen.

Clemont and Bonnie were with them. Pikachu was in Bonnie's arms. Aria was nowhere to be seen. In the otherwise dead silence, Ribombee circled above Lillie's head at a maddening speed, overjoyed.

Lillie's eyes met Serena's first. Immediately, Serena felt a bead of cold sweat drip down the center of her back.

"Serena?" said Lillie.

An instant later, Ash's eyes met hers. A shiver rattled down her spine. Her entire body trembled. Her vision distorted as her eye twitched with every heartbeat, her veins pulsing with adrenaline.

"Serena!" said Ash.

Neither of the two of them looked quite like Serena had last seen them. Lillie wore her hair tied back in a ponytail, secured by knotting her braids together. Her outfit was the one Serena had helped her pick out so many months ago, but with a few new accessories. She wore white stockings over her legs and a heavy white coat over her top. There was a Poké Ball clipped to the waistband of her skirt.

Ash's outfit was entirely different. Serena's stomach sank as she eyed him over.

They matched.

Their colors did, anyway. White, black, and red. Black jeans, white undershirt with a red and white sleeved vest over it. Red and white sneakers, red and white hat. The same jet black hair as always.

Serena bit her lip. Her breaths accelerated as she tried to hold back tears, shaking.

Ash stepped forward.

"Serena?"

Serena turned and ran out the door.


	10. Kindness, Beauty, and Truth

Chapter Ten - Kindness, Beauty, and Truth

"Serena, wait!"

Serena was already halfway down the block. Before she could catch herself, instinct took over. Despite her mind telling her to flee, to run away without looking back, she could not ignore the call. She turned her head and saw Lillie scurrying down the front steps.

"Please, don't run!" Lillie called after her. "Come back!"

Serena kept running. Were it not for how her heart thundered, she would have been convinced that it had stopped entirely. The cold shock that reverberated through her body upon seeing _them_ felt like jumping into icy water. Her reaction was the same. She had to get out. _Now._

"Serena!"

Lillie called for her again. Serena did not stop. As she neared the end of the block and approached the intersection, the sound of the footsteps following her was drowned out by traffic.

With one foot on the curb, she came to a stop. Her eyes shot up to the stoplight. It was red. Cars passed in both directions. She couldn't cross. Not without risking her life, anyway. She looked around in all other directions, searching for another route. She saw Lillie approaching from behind.

"Please, wait! Don't run, please!"

Serena prepared to turn and run down the adjacent street corner, but she caught sight of Lillie's eyes. Her heart twitched.

Something was wrong. Lillie was alone. No one else was with her. No one had followed her. No one. Not even Ash.

Serena wasn't going to let hesitation get the best of her again, though. Without thinking, operating purely on muscle memory, she shoved her hand into her bag, withdrew a Poké Ball, and threw it.

Delphox burst from the ball and materialized on the sidewalk in between Serena and Lillie. Visibly surprised, Lillie tensed up and came to a halt. Briefly, she reached out with one hand, but then drew it back in and held it up to her chest. She placed her other hand on her knee and hunched over. Despite the short distance, she was already red in the face and short of breath.

Serena prepared to run once again and give a command. Behind her, the light turned.

"Please," Lillie said in between breaths. "Wait. Don't run."

Serena did not move. She felt incapable of it all of a sudden. With Lillie right in front of her, she felt like she was rooted to the spot.

Not truly seeing anything, Serena's eyes slid out of focus. A memory came to her, one she had longed to forget. The last time she and Lillie had met face to face, it ended with her penultimate fall from grace.

"Serena?"

Serena blinked. Lillie continued to catch her breath, straightening up again. Delphox stood between them. Ever vigilant, she held her wand alight. As the silence dragged on, she lowered her wand. She turned her head back toward Serena, her eyes wide and her mouth parted in equal parts surprise and confusion.

Serena's command never came. She merely tightened her lips, clenched her jaw, and swallowed.

Opposite her, Lillie stood some distance away from Delphox, wary to approach.

"...Delphox?" she said. "I... confess that I barely recognize you! Ash told me about what happened, but the last time I saw you, you were Braixen."

Delphox's eyes fell on Lillie again. Lillie tensed up and inched away a step.

"Do you remember me?" said Lillie. "I know I look a bit different now, but I assure you we have met before. I'm Lillie, from Professor Kukui's laboratory in Alola. And you- ...you look very different from the last time I saw you, too."

Delphox stared. There was silence for a few seconds. Serena's heart raced. The panic was still there. Something had to give.

"Delphox, Psychic!"

Serena's command was met with two separate looks of surprise. Once again, Delphox turned her head back to look at her. Lillie yelped, flinched, and scrambled to reach for something inside her coat.

It was the Poké Ball clipped to her waistband. She threw it.

Or rather, for a particularly generous definition of _throw,_ she threw it. The ball landed on the ground only a few feet in front of her, then opened.

"Clefairy, go!"

Serena froze. There was a flash of light followed by the form of a small Pokémon materializing on the sidewalk. Her face slackened.

It appeared that Lillie had upgraded her doll.

Clefairy faced Delphox and looked up. As if mimicking her apparent trainer, she backed away. Delphox towered over her.

Lillie made fists with both hands and clenched them as if preparing to fight. Though Serena remained still, she wanted to cringe. It could not have been more obvious that it was a gesture she had picked up from Ash. Unfortunately, she had failed to replicate the most important part. There was no fire in her eyes. There was fear.

"Okay, Clefairy, we can do this!" said Lillie.

Serena felt like an ice cube settled into her stomach. Not including her transparently fake determination, it appeared that Lillie really had picked up a habit from Ash. There was no chance that the Lillie she had known would ever have attempted something so reckless.

Clefairy did not appear convinced at all. She raised both hands toward her mouth, clearly afraid.

"Metronome!"

Clefairy hesitated a moment before complying. Then, she raised two fingers into the air. With a steady rhythm, she moved them back and forth, chanting. She glowed.

Delphox raised her wand again. The flame on the tip flickered.

There was a flash of light. Clefairy spun around.

She waggled her tail at Delphox.

"Oh! No, not that one!" said Lillie. She grabbed her head with both hands. "Was that Tail Whip? We need an attacking move! Remember that time you used Hyrdo Pump?"

Delphox tilted her head. Clefairy looked up at Lillie, seemingly confused.

"Try again," said Lillie. "I know you can do it this time!"

Clefairy faced Delphox again and began to chant, waving her fingers in time with the beat. Once more, she glowed.

Abruptly, the glow vanished. Clefairy raised her hands to the sky. For a moment, nothing happened.

"Um-"

Lillie had just enough time to speak one syllable before the raindrops began to fall. Delphox grimaced up at the sky.

"Rain Dance..." said Lillie, dejected.

The rain began in earnest. Delphox turned her back on Clefairy and Lillie, and she faced Serena instead. She raised her wand.

For just a moment, Serena expected Delphox to attack her in retaliation for forcing her into such a foolish fight. When Delphox's eyes and wand both shone bright indigo, she expected to be lifted off the ground and thrown through the air. She remained firmly planted on the ground, though. Instead, a Poké Ball lifted itself out of her bag and hovered in the air.

A moment later, the trigger on it depressed, and a beam of light shot toward Delphox. She vanished inside the ball, and the ball fell back into Serena's bag.

And then, Serena was left standing there with Lillie and Clefairy in the rain. There would have been silence, but that was soon interrupted. Before anyone could say a word, there was a faint, metallic clatter, a squeaking sound that Serena recognized as the mail slot on the front door. Moments later, buzzing filled her ears as Ribombee emerged from it and zipped down the street toward them. She stopped short of them, clearly confused by the personal raincloud covering them.

Lillie looked up and saw Ribombee hovering at a distance. Her eyes lingered for a moment until Clefairy came up to her and tugged at her leg, trying to hide in her shadow from the rain. Lillie picked up Clefairy's Poké Ball and aimed it at her.

"Thank you. You tried your best."

Lillie returned Clefairy to her ball, then clipped it back on her waistband. Then, she took a few steps backward toward where Ribombee hovered, standing outside the perimeter of the rain cloud.

Serena did not move. Ribombee swooped down and landed on top of Lillie's head.

"Serena?"

"I-"

Serena was barely able to croak out a single word before a wave of grief and guilt washed over her and stole her voice. She lowered her head. She bit down hard on the inside of her lip.

Ribombee chirred. Her voice ached with worry. Lillie's face matched the sound.

"You really should get out of that rain cloud," said Lillie, folding her hands in front of herself. "It's awfully cold out here."

"Just-"

Serena swallowed. She strained herself, shaking from the effort of trying to hold back the wave of emotion that threatened to burst through the dam more and more with each passing second. When she spoke again, it was only a whisper.

_"...just leave me alone."_

Cold water trickled down the back of Serena's neck, sneaking inside the folds of her scarf. She folded her arms tight clenched her eyes shut, cold wind whirling around her. Her head throbbed. She wanted to vanish, to disappear. She wanted to wake up and find out that none of this was real. But when she opened her eyes, the dream wasn't over. It couldn't end, because it had ended long ago.

"I'm so sorry," she said.

Serena looked up. She jumped in surprise. Lillie stood much closer than before. Under the rain cloud with her, she was only an arm's length away. Atop her head, Ribombee tried to shield herself from the rain with her wings, clearly displeased.

A bittersweet smile adorned Lillie's face. Serena couldn't bear the sight of it. She looked away and shut her eyes again.

"I'm _so _sorry," she said again. "You... you can go. You don't have to stay here with me. Just leave me alone, please."

"No."

For a few seconds, Serena expected the end to come. She expected the other shoe to drop at last, for Lillie and the rest of the world finally to stop pretending everything was okay and to give her the punishment she was due at long last. She expected Lillie to breathe fire, to burn her alive, to tear her to shreds. And if not that, at least a solid slap in the face and a cutting tirade.

But instead, what Serena received was a hug.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Serena found herself sitting opposite Lillie at a table for two in a crowded café, utterly at a loss as to how any of this had happened. All she remembered was Lillie saying that they needed to talk, and asking if she knew any good spots for that around here, and then ending up where they were. It was impossible to make any sense of it all.

Serena looked at the words on the menu. She couldn't read them. They didn't look like words. The paper may as well have been blank. All it did for her was block Lillie's face from view when she held it up.

"I think I may have some difficulty with getting my usual here," said Lillie.

Serena lowered the menu, bringing Lillie's face back into view. She looked more like Serena remembered now, an uncertain frown on her face.

"I don't see milk listed anywhere on this menu," said Lillie. "Do you think they serve it?"

"They probably serve it as something you can add to coffee or tea," said Serena. "I don't know about on its own, though."

"Oh," said Lillie. Her disappointment was palpable. "I take it warm milk isn't commonly served in Kalos, then?"

Serena wasn't certain it was commonly served anywhere. She shook her head. Lillie pouted and focused on the menu again.

"I've always been too afraid to try tea or coffee," she said. "I was always worried about spilling it on myself, and the stains it would leave."

Serena did not need Lillie to explain any further to know that her phobia was her mother's doing.

"You could try green tea, then," said Serena. "It's very light."

"Do you think that's a good idea?" said Lillie.

Serena nodded. As she did, a waitress arrived. She took their orders, then left.

"I suppose this will be another new experience I've had because of you," said Lillie.

"Mmm."

Serena only hummed a response. She kept her mouth shut, lips tight, eyes away. Lillie folded her hands in her lap and looked down.

"Thank you."

Serena was certain she had misheard. Lillie's voice had been no more than a whisper.

"For what?"

"For not running away," said Lillie. She looked up at Serena again. "At least, not for a second time."

The first thought Serena had was that depending on one's definition of _running away, _she had probably already run away several more times than Lillie understood. Once she had that thought, dozens more followed. Her mind overflowed with questions. Unable to resist, she asked.

"So... when did you get here?"

"Oh, it was only this afternoon," said Lillie. "We had not been at the house for very long at all before you arrived. I am not always the best judge of time, but I would say it had been no more than fifteen or twenty minutes. It took us quite a long time to take a taxi from the airport to there. The traffic was abominable! We had hardly finished our introductions with Clemont and Bonnie before you arrived."

Serena's heart missed a beat.

Lillie didn't know.

"It was wonderful to meet them, at long last," said Lillie. "I had heard so much! They couldn't have been friendlier."

"Did you meet anyone else?"

"Anyone else?" said Lillie. "No, although they did mention that their father was at work and tended to stay late. I suppose I'll meet him later."

Serena fought with all her might to maintain a neutral expression. Either Lillie was hiding it, or she was entirely unaware of Aria. If she and Ash had only been there for a few minutes, it was entirely possible that neither Clemont nor Bonnie had time to explain the situation. Aria had most likely hidden when she realized who had arrived.

_Lillie didn't know._

There was an awkward silence. Lillie shifted in her seat. She spoke first.

"I admit that I may have been a bit too quick to act in bringing you here," she said. "I was eager to get a chance to talk to you as soon as we arrived. I discussed the idea with Ash, and he agreed to let me talk to you first on my own when we arrived. Merely asking you to do this seemed like it would be the hard part. I assumed it would be easy once we were alone, but it looks like that was a very poor assumption indeed. I never had much of a plan beyond this, unfortunately."

Serena blinked, and her eyes came into focus on Lillie again.

"You spent all that time with Ash, but you still think that anything ever goes according to plan?" she said.

An embarrassed smile crossed Lillie's face, and she held a hand to the back of her neck.

"When you put it that way, it really does sound silly, doesn't it?" she said. "I'm not sure what I was thinking. Perhaps I simply wasn't."

"That's another Ash thing," said Serena.

"Isn't it, though?" said Lillie. She looked up at Serena, seemingly amused. "I suppose I should not have been surprised by it based on what I saw from him when you two first arrived, but he certainly has a unique approach to solving problems, doesn't he?"

"He does," said Serena. "He never stops to think about whether or not his solution is going to cause another problem."

Serena wondered for a moment if perhaps she had taken after Ash in that regard.

"I could not have put it better myself," said Lillie. "Everywhere we went, I was never sure if he was actually helping people or just replacing their old problems with new ones."

"He helped you, didn't he?"

Lillie nodded emphatically.

"Oh, yes, very much so!" she said. "Please do not misunderstand. I am deeply grateful for everything he did."

"I know. You really needed his help."

"Indeed, and he gave it to me, and so many others. I don't know how I can ever repay him."

A particularly cynical thought crossed Serena's mind about how exactly Lillie could repay Ash, but she kept it to herself.

"You really deserved it," said Serena. "Especially… after what I did to you."

Serena finished her statement with a sigh, and she briefly shut her eyes as she rested her elbows on the table and held her head in her hands.

Lillie was hesitant to speak.

"I am not so certain those two are related," she said.

"You deserved better than me invading your privacy and destroying your diary all because I was insecure and paranoid about my relationship with Ash."

Lillie bit down on her lips.

"And you also deserved better than to be held prisoner and abused by your mother," Serena continued. "And being kidnapped, apparently?"

"It was not exactly a kidnapping, at least in my mind," said Lillie. "I suppose that is what it was, though, since everyone else seems to think so. Team Skull did not take me by force. I went with them willingly and without a struggle, albeit under the threat of violence."

"That's definitely kidnapping."

"Regardless, I felt that it may have helped the situation if I agreed to go with them peacefully. I wanted a chance to talk to my mother again. I believed it was possible for me to convince her to stop. Unfortunately, that belief was proven to be very naïve."

"Ash stopped her, though," said Serena. "I saw in the news article."

"The whole world saw, it seems," said Lillie. "I never expected it to be such big news."

"Your mom was experimenting with _alien_ Pokémon," said Serena. "How could it not be big news?"

"It was everyday life to me," said Lillie. "I knew that what she was doing was wrong. I never realized it would become the story of the century when the news broke."

"You and Ash kind of disappeared afterward, though," said Serena. "I tried to find more info on what you two were doing, but you both pretty much vanished until Ash won the league."

"That was Ash's doing," said Lillie. "I was very grateful for it, though. We spent a few weeks in the wilderness while he prepared to challenge the league. He said he wanted to get away from the cameras."

"I don't blame him."

"He said he was sure you would understand."

Serena tightened her brow. Understand what, exactly? She certainly understood wanting to avoid even more publicity after everything that had happened in the last several months. She had not understood Ash's intent, though. Was he sure she would understand _why _he was absent for so long? She had failed to understand. She had given up. She had assumed a very different motivation for his silence.

"He also really wished you could have been with us," said Lillie.

Serena's heart ached. She bowed her head.

"Me too."

"I felt the same," said Lillie.

Eyes narrowed, Serena looked up at Lillie again.

"How?" she said. "How could you have wanted me there after what I did to you?"

"Well, I admit, my first preference would have been that you never broke into my diary and had talked to me instead."

Serena inhaled through her teeth as if stung by the words.

"Yeah… Me too."

"I still did not want you to leave, though," said Lillie. "Neither did Ash, nor did anyone else."

"I don't understand why," said Serena. She shook her head. "I would understand if you never wanted to speak to me again."

"I would never want that," said Lillie.

"How are you not angry with me?"

"I still am, to be honest. It still hurts. Not as much as it did at first, though."

"How can you sit at this table with me and not want to yell at me?"

"I don't like to raise my voice," said Lillie. "I certainly don't want to raise it at you. We had our fight. There is no need for another one."

Serena tilted her head to the side, confused as ever.

"How…"

Serena grasped at her forehead as if trying to pull an answer from inside her brain.

"How can you be so calm about this?" she said. "Why is nobody angry at me? I violated your trust, invaded your privacy, and ruined our friendship! And you're not the only person I did that to! I'm so ashamed of myself that I feel like I could _die_ from it! Why doesn't anyone want to see me punished? Why doesn't anyone _hate_ me? You, most of all!"

"I can't hate you," said Lillie. "I don't even hate my mother."

Serena winced.

"Being compared to her is… not great. I earned it, though."

"That is not the most flattering comparison, I admit," said Lillie. "All I mean is that if I don't hate her, how could I hate you?"

Serena's heart twitched. Lillie had no idea.

"She's your mother. I was supposed to be your friend, but instead I stooped lower than your mother ever did."

"My mother may not have ever read my diary, but that was almost certainly because she simply did not find its contents important enough to go to the effort to do so. She cared about my act of defiance, not my words."

"And I did," said Serena. "How does that not make me even worse than her?"

"You never imprisoned me, nor treated me like a doll, nor exploited helpless Pokémon for your own gain."

"Not a high bar to clear."

"Perhaps not, but that is beside the point."

"How can you not hate her?"

"Because she is my mother," said Lillie. "Despite what she has done, I know that she did not act entirely under her own will. Nihilego brought out the worst in her, but it did not destroy the best in her, either. The mother I once knew is still inside her, somewhere. I would much rather love her than hate her. Perhaps it does not make sense to anyone else, but that is the choice I have made. I choose to love her."

Serena leaned back in her chair and thought. Many questions came to mind.

"I… met Nihilego, too, actually," said Serena.

"You did?" said Lillie. She straightened up in her seat. "I wasn't aware! When did this happen?"

"When Nebby teleported us to safety," said Serena. "We were in Ultra Space for a few seconds, weren't we?"

"I assume so, although I can't speak with certainty about what you saw. I was alone while we were in that other dimension. I assume we all were. We may have all seen different things. Perhaps we were even in different places."

"What did you see?" said Serena.

"Nothing but an empty cavern and an assortment of glowing gemstones."

"No Pokémon? No people?"

"Nothing. As far as I know, for a few seconds I was the only living thing there."

"But then… why me? Why did I see Nihilego?" said Serena.

"There may not have been any reason for it," said Lillie.

"It can't have just been luck," said Serena.

"I do think that Nihilego is naturally drawn toward some people," said Lillie. "My mother, for example."

"Wouldn't it have had more reason to be drawn to you? You're her daughter."

"Possibly so, but I doubt that mattered. Our stop in Ultra Space was so brief that I struggle to believe Nihilego would have had time to act upon that."

"Then why did it come to me?"

"Curiosity, perhaps. We _did_ suddenly materialize out of nowhere from its perspective, after all."

"But it…"

Serena cringed at the memory. She could still feel it, the paralysis from her terror in that moment. A horrible tingling sensation shot down her neck, her back, and all her limbs. She shuddered.

"It _wanted_ me," said Serena.

"I… beg your pardon?" said Lillie.

"It wanted me. It was going to take me. It _touched_ me, just for a moment."

"It touched you?"

"Yes. It was going to… eat me, I guess? Or whatever it does."

"Nihilego is a parasite," said Lillie. "It probably intended to couple with you, like my mother allowed it to do with her."

"I didn't want to let it do that, though! Why did it want me?"

"It probably wanted _anyone,"_ said Lillie. "I doubt that it had anything to do with _you_ specifically."

"But… did it poison me or something? Scramble my brain? I felt something when it touched me!"

"What did you feel?"

"A horrible pain in my head!" said Serena. "It was only for an instant, but it was the worst thing I've ever felt!"

"It sounds like Nebby teleported you away just in time," said Lillie.

"But…"

Serena shuddered again. She wrapped her arms around herself.

"Did it _make _me this way?" she said. "Did it do the same thing to me that it did to your mother?"

"No, I don't think so."

"But… if it didn't _change _me, why did I do all these terrible things to people I care about? Am I just a bad person? Is that all there is to it?"

"You are not a bad person," said Lillie. "I think you're a very good one, actually. You just made some mistakes."

"I hurt people who I never wanted to hurt!"

"Good people do bad things sometimes. That does not make you a bad person. I do not believe you could be even if you tried."

"Why does everyone think that? I feel worthless! I ruined everything!"

"I cannot speak for everyone," said Lillie, "but I could never hate someone who cares so much about my feelings, which you clearly do."

Serena slumped in her seat. Hands on the sides of her head, she stared at the tabletop.

"It _can't _just be that I made some mistakes," she said. "This can't all have happened for no reason. There has to be something more to this."

"I'm not so sure I agree," said Lillie.

"How can you not see it?" said Serena. "After everything you've been through, how can you not think that there's something more to all of this?"

Lillie appeared to measure her words before speaking.

"At the risk of being presumptuous, I think I have spent much more time wondering about that than you have," she said. "When your own mother turns against you, it's only natural to want to understand why."

Serena tightened her lips. There was no way she could respond. She allowed Lillie to continue.

"Everything _does_ happen for a reason, in some sense," said Lillie. "Everything has a cause. Not everything has a meaning, though. My brother and I suffered a great deal because of our mother's actions. There are reasons why she became the way she did. A long chain of events caused her transformation, ultimately leading to what she inflicted upon me and Gladion, as well as what she almost did to the entire world. Perhaps this will sound like a strange thing to say, but although there were reasons it happened, it did not _happen for a reason,_ if you understand my meaning."

Serena shook her head.

"How can you say that what you went through was meaningless?" she said.

Lillie smiled, bittersweet.

"Should we begrudge the misfortunes which befall us on the paths to our greatest successes? I don't see much use in that. I would much rather be happy about the good things that have happened in my life than dwell forever on the bad ones."

Serena could not think of a response. Fortunately, the waitress arrived with their tea during the lull in the conversation. Both she and Lillie took a minute to tend to their tea, adding sugar and cream and then stirring. Serena was still stirring absentmindedly when Lillie spoke up again.

"Even though you don't feel like you deserve it, I want to forgive you," said Lillie.

"You shouldn't," said Serena.

"I think many people would agree with you, but that is not how I feel," said Lillie. "I want to call you my friend again. I've missed you, truthfully. Neither Ash nor Hau were suitable substitutes for the types of conversations we used to have."

Serena let out a puff of air through her nose. She knew how true Lillie's words were.

"I know what you mean," said Serena.

"But, before I can truly forgive you, I need you to do something for me."

"What is it?"

"I need you to forgive yourself first."

Serena stared at Lillie, confused. After a moment, she shook her head.

"I don't deserve to be forgiven."

"Please, don't think that way."

Serena bit her lip and hesitated. For a moment, she considered just letting it all out, explaining everything no matter what the cost. Before she could do it, Lillie spoke again.

"The pain that you're inflicting on yourself hurts others, too," said Lillie. "None of the people who care about you want to see you suffer. Not me, nor anyone else. There is no reason for you to do such a thing to yourself. You need to let it go."

"How am I supposed to do that?" said Serena.

"I don't know, unfortunately," said Lillie. She shook her head. "You have to figure that out on your own."

A long silence followed, during which both of them avoided each other's eyes and sipped their tea. Serena was at a loss as to what to say. Somehow, the task that Lillie placed before her seemed even more insurmountable than everything else she had faced. It was almost unthinkable.

But even after everything Lillie had said, so many questions remained.

"I never imagined I would end up here, where I am right now," said Lillie. "The last few months have been so surreal."

"I know what you mean," said Serena.

"So, you've been living here in the city with all your friends?" said Lillie. "That must be really fun."

"It's been pretty complicated, actually," said Serena. "It's better than staying at home, though."

"I never thought I would get to see a city like this," said Lillie. "Even Hau'oli City was overwhelming for me after all those years at sea."

Serena remembered Lillie's terrible navigation skills. Gazing into her teacup, she smiled fondly.

"I can imagine so," she said.

"When I was trapped at Aether Paradise, when I daydreamed of escaping, the only thing I could imagine was being somewhere without my mother," said Lillie. "I never could picture anything more specific than that. I hadn't seen enough of the outside world to know what was out there."

Lillie thought for a moment, and then she shrugged as if at a loss for words.

"I had no idea how _wonderful_ the world is," she said. "I'm so lucky to have had the chance to see so much of it. I never could have imagined all of this a year ago."

"I was never trapped like you were, but I know what you mean," said Serena. "There are so many things I've only seen because of Ash. If it weren't for him, I would probably still be stuck at home in Vaniville Town."

Serena wrapped both hands around her teacup and thought for a moment.

"I owe him a thank you, honestly," she said. "Getting to travel with him is the best thing that's ever happened to me. I don't know if I've ever really thanked him for that."

"I owe a great deal to him, as well," said Lillie. "It wasn't only him, though. A lot of other people helped me. You were one of them."

"No, don't-"

"Serena, please," Lillie said, interrupting. "I mean it. I don't know that I ever would have had the confidence to ask Ash for help if it were not for your encouragement, regardless of whether or not you truly meant it at the time."

Serena supposed Ash had also given Lillie the confidence to interrupt someone and speak up, but she did not mention it.

"I'm glad I could help, I guess," said Serena. "I just wish I had been able to do it in a less destructive way."

"You had your reasons for it," said Lillie.

"They were bad reasons."

"Not really."

Serena shifted her eyes up to meet Lillie's. The tone of voice Lillie had used set Serena on edge. There was something more to her words, some deeper meaning. Serena was confident she knew what it was. She had been confident in it for a long time.

She pursed her lips for a moment, then admitted it.

"You know, you may think you're lucky to have Ash, but Ash is lucky to have you, too," said Serena.

"I'm not so sure I agree with that," Lillie said, an awkward look on her face.

"You're probably the kindest person I've ever met," said Serena. "It's amazing that you've lived through what you have and yet you still always want to see the best in everyone. _You're _amazing. You're brave, and you're smart, and you're wise beyond your years. And you're so, _so_ pretty. I hope you realize that. Seriously."

Lillie bit her lip. She appeared a bit flustered.

"You flatter me, really," she said. "I don't know how you can call me brave, though. You're the brave one. I wish I had your courage."

"Are you kidding me?" said Serena. "I ran away. I'm the definition of a coward!"

Lillie shook her head.

"No, you're not. You're one of the most courageous people I've ever met!"

"I guess that's because you haven't met very many people," said Serena.

"It's because you did one of the bravest and most selfless things I've ever seen," said Lillie. "You left behind someone you loved, even though it hurt terribly, even though you were afraid you were going to lose him, all because you felt like it was the right thing to do. You put everyone else before yourself. You did that to help me, and everyone, no matter what the cost was to you. That's _amazing."_

Serena wondered if she had finally paid back that cost. Perhaps she had, she figured.

There was only one way to find out, and that meant asking the most difficult question of all.

"Lillie… You and Ash fell in love, didn't you?"

Lillie grimaced. She quickly turned red.

"That's… a complicated question," she said.

Serena looked at the table. She ran a hand over her hair, then folded her hands tightly in her lap. She did not look up as she spoke.

"This may sound crazy coming from me, especially after how all our troubles began, but... it's okay if that happened. I've made my peace with it. It knew it was a risk all along. Honestly, I think I knew you had feelings for him before you did. I don't blame you for feeling that way, either. Believe me, I get it."

"Serena…"

"Yeah, wow," Serena said, sounding almost disbelieving of herself. She turned her head aside and scratched awkwardly at the back of her neck. "That _does_ sound really weird for me to say, doesn't it? I've never said it all out loud before."

"Ash and I aren't together."

Serena's eyes snapped back to meet Lillie's.

"He was always very serious about coming back to you when our journey was done," said Lillie. "He wrote to you every week. He never knew if you got any of the letters he sent, but he kept sending them anyway. He went really out of his way to do it, too. He was distraught when we arrived on Poni Island and found out the island had no mail service. He had Professor Oak send him Talonflame just to carry the letters to an island with a post office."

Serena's face went blank. Lillie's face became redder still.

"I… do have to confess something, though," said Lillie. "It's one of the biggest reasons I wanted to talk to you as soon as possible, actually. I didn't feel like I could take it anymore unless I told you the truth right away."

Serena was motionless. There was too much information to process. The gears in her brain came grinding to a halt.

"You were right," said Lillie. "I _did_ have feelings for Ash after all. I didn't understand it at the time. I had no frame of reference to which I could compare it, but as our journey went on, it became clear to me. We became closer and closer, and I became more and more enamored of him, and eventually I couldn't even think about him without my heart throbbing. I thought there was something wrong with me at first, but Professor Burnet laughed when I told her what was happening to me. She knew what it was. I was lovesick."

Lillie stared at her own teacup. She tightened her lips for a moment.

"He was still writing to you every week, though, and he still talked about you all the time. I couldn't possibly have shared my feelings with him when he was so clearly still in love with you. But then, everything with my mother and Team Skull got so serious, and we were alone with each other for such a long time, separated from the rest of the world. He and I grew ever closer. It was impossible for me not to fall for him. I knew that I shouldn't, but... it really did feel like falling, like it was impossible to catch myself."

Serena remained as still as a statue. Her lips slightly parted, she did not even blink. Lillie paused for a long breath and a moment of thought, and then continued.

"We had to search for an ancient flute to use at the Altar of the Moone. Our search led us to an uninhabited island where wild Exeggutor grew as tall as buildings. A storm came upon us, and we took shelter in a cave. It was the most peaceful, soothing thing I've ever experienced, the perfect calm as we waited for the rain to pass. I had never felt happier in my life. We talked for a while, and I told him about the time I danced with my mother in the rain. I wanted so badly to take his hand and lead him out into the rain. I wanted to dance with him, too."

Lillie sighed.

"But that's not what happened. I didn't have the courage to ask him. The rain passed, and when the sun came out again, a magnificent rainbow appeared overhead. It was like it was just for us. I took it as a sign. So, before we left the cave, I told him there was one more thing I wanted to do with him. I asked him to close his eyes. He did, and then… I-"

Lillie placed her elbows on the table and her head in her hands, covering her face. She took a deep breath.

"I... kissed him."

Serena's heart stopped. A moment later, it resumed again, pounding so hard that the corners of her vision throbbed with each beat.

"He never kissed me back," said Lillie. "He told me he couldn't do that, because he was still with you, no matter what."

Serena raised a hand to cover her open mouth. Her heart accelerated. Wave after wave of terrible realizations swept over her. She felt her entire body begin to turn red.

"I didn't have much of a choice other than to let it go," said Lillie. "I was honest with him about my feelings, and he was honest with me. It's been hard to come beyond it, but we're just friends, and that's all we're ever going to be."

Serena's vision slid out of focus. Panic took hold.

"I know this is asking a lot of you, but I hope you can forgive me."

Serena did not hear Lillie's words. All she heard was the shattering sound produced by her own brain.

"Lillie."

Lillie uncovered her face and looked up. She met Serena's eyes for only a moment before looking away.

Her voice quivering, Serena spoke slowly.

"Did you say that Ash wrote to me _every _week?"

Lillie bit her lip. Meekly, she nodded.

Serena exhaled, trying to steady her shaking breaths.

"But... I haven't gotten anything from him in almost two months."

"You haven't?"

"No. I got his first few letters, but nothing since I arrived here. I even tried to write back to him, but the letter was returned to me. I-"

Serena paused. Her voice hitched.

"I... I thought he stopped writing to me. I thought he gave up on me, and he chose..."

Serena met Lillie's eyes. She whispered the final word.

_"You."_

Lillie timidly shook her head. Serena clenched her eyes shut, then exhaled through gritted teeth. She slumped in her seat. A cold sense of dread and deceit crept down her spine and settled into her stomach. While her innards froze, her face flared with heat, waves of shame washing over her with every heartbeat.

"Excuse me."

Serena stood and left the table. Covering her face, she ran for the restroom. She was certain of two things – that Ash's letters had not disappeared by accident, and that she had made the greatest mistake of her life.


	11. Raining Deep in Heaven

Chapter Eleven - Raining Deep in Heaven

"Mom."

The picture came into view. On the other side of the screen, Grace sat in front of the familiar backdrop of the kitchen. In place of her typical attire, she wore a bathrobe over pajamas. The house was dark. Her eyes were heavy, but they soon opened wide.

"Serena?"

In a separate window on the screen, Serena saw her own digital reflection, a tiny copy of her own video feed tucked away in the corner. She knew from only a momentary glance at it that there was no way she would escape questioning. There was no way she could hide.

"It's great to hear from you, but it's late for you to be calling," said Grace. "You know I'm always in bed by this time. I-"

Grace paused. Through the screen, Serena felt her mother's eyes roaming over her, darting back and forth as she took in the details.

"Is... everything okay?"

Serena glared flatly back at her mother. She made no effort to conceal the redness in her eyes, nor the dark circles beneath them, nor the drained look on her face.

"No."

"What's wrong?" said Grace. Worry sank into her face. She leaned in closer toward the screen. "Did something happen? Are you hurt? And-"

Grace's eyes shifted up, looking past Serena.

"Who's this with you?"

Standing a few feet behind Serena, at a distance that struck an uncomfortable balance between not wanting to be involved and not wanting to remove herself, Lillie shifted awkwardly. Realizing she had been addressed, she made a tiny exclamation, bowed, and then took a few steps toward the camera. She stopped behind Serena's shoulder.

"Oh! Hello, ma'am," said Lillie. "I don't believe we've been introduced, but you must be Serena's mother. I'm Lillie."

Grace appeared confused. She hesitated for a moment.

"Yes. Good to meet you, Lillie. Can you tell me what's going on? Is everything alright? Is Serena hurt?"

Lillie avoided eye contact.

"I'm sorry to say that I'm not sure I understand the situation well enough myself," she said. "I think Serena will need to explain."

"Serena?"

"Mom."

Again, Serena addressed her mother flatly. Grace parted her lips as if though to speak, but Serena spoke before she could say anything.

"I need to ask you a question, and I need you to tell me the truth," said Serena. _"Don't_ lie to me. Don't hide anything. Do you understand?"

"I'm... not sure I do. What's happen-"

"Mom!"

Serena clenched her fists on the surface of the kiosk, hidden from the camera. She resisted the urge to bang them.

"Don't you _dare _lie to me about this, mom! Do you understand?"

Grace clearly did not.

"Yes, but... what is it?"

Serena took a deep breath and steadied herself.

"Since I left the house and came to Lumiose City, has there been _any _mail for me? I mean _anything. _Anything at all."

"Well, yes, but-"

"What was it?!"

"Well, I'm not sure, but-"

"Where is it?!"

"Serena!"

_"Mom!"_

Serena's voice echoed through the atrium of the otherwise quiet Pokémon Center. She grit her teeth and leaned closer to the monitor. Lillie backed away a couple of steps, clearly uncomfortable. On the other side of the screen, Grace's expression changed. Her eyes hardened. Her brow creased.

"Serena, tell me what's going on _right now."_

"You tell _me _what's going on!" said Serena. "Ash has been sending me a letter every week since I've been gone, but you said there wasn't any mail for me! Either they've all gone missing, or you _lied _to me! Which is it?"

Grace tightened her lips for a moment before she spoke.

"I have to tell you, when you asked me last time if there had been any mail for you, I didn't tell you the truth."

Serena's jaw dropped. She tried to say something, but not even a single syllable came out.

"I know that Ash has been sending you letters. The first one showed up about a week after you left."

"Mom! How-"

Serena dug her fingers into her hair and gripped tight.

"How could you?!" she said. "Why? Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because I thought you knew!" said Grace. "I wasn't trying to hide them from you. I _forwarded _them all to you."

Serena froze.

"What?"

"When you asked me last time if there had been any mail for you, I was worried that I had gotten your new address wrong, so I double-checked it and made sure I was sending it to the right place. Have you really not gotten any of them?"

Serena shook her head.

"No."

Grace rubbed her forehead.

"I... don't know what to say," she said. "I don't understand why they wouldn't have made it to you. I'm sure I used the right address."

"What did you do with them?" said Serena. "How did you forward them to me?"

"I put them inside a bigger envelope, put your new address on it, and put them in our outgoing mail."

"Our mailbox?" said Serena. "The one at the gate?"

Grace nodded.

"Yes. I never thought to try anywhere else. I'm not sure why I would have, honestly."

"Have you seen anyone other than the mailman at our mailbox?"

"Well, I've had Calem check the mail for me," said Grace. "Other than him, no one."

"Did _he _take them?" said Serena. "Did he steal them?"

"Why in the world would he do such a thing?" said Grace.

"Because he was clearly interested in me and Ash was sending me _love letters!"_

"But how would he have known that without reading them?" said Grace.

"I don't know! Who else could have done it, though?"

"I have no idea, but it wasn't him," said Grace. "I know you don't like him, but trust me. He's a nice boy. He wouldn't do that."

"Are you really sure about that?" said Serena.

"I would like to think I know him fairly well by now."

"How do you know? You gave him permission to go into our mailbox!"

"Well, I don't _know _that, but I have no reason to believe he would do it," said Grace.

"Well I have no reason to believe he wouldn't!"

Grace's brow tightened in irritation.

"The timing doesn't make sense," she said. "I always put the mail out first thing in the morning. The mailman comes by in the afternoon. Calem can barely keep his eyes open when he shows up in the morning. He's not a morning person. I keep him busy all day. He wouldn't have the time to sneak off to our mailbox and grab the letter without me noticing, and he wouldn't be able to keep it hidden from me all day. He just _didn't_ do this. You need to believe me."

Serena grimaced, clenched her eyes shut and rested her forehead on her palms.

"I don't know why all the letters have gone missing," said Grace, "but if there really is some kind of conspiracy against you, it isn't taking place here in Vaniville Town."

Serena looked up again. She knew her mother had no idea how true her words were.

"You're in the biggest city in Kalos," said Grace. "Are you sure there isn't some way the letters could have gotten lost on your end?"

"I... don't know."

"I wish I had something more helpful to say," said Grace. "I'm sorry I wasn't honest with you last time, but it was like with the job offer from Meyer. I wanted to surprise you! I probably need to stop doing that. It never seems to work out well."

Serena shook her head.

"It's okay," she said. "Thank you for telling the truth this time."

"Of course," said Grace. "Are you okay, though?"

"Not really."

"I know I've asked this already, but what's going on? Is it just the letters?"

"No, it's not just that," said Serena. "Ash is here. He just got back from Alola, and... well, things are really complicated."

"I'm sure they are," said Grace. Her eyes darted up to take a glance at Lillie over Serena's shoulder. Lillie had her hands folded in front while she looked away.

"I've made some really big mistakes," said Serena. "I don't know if I'll ever be able to make up for them."

"Everyone makes big mistakes."

"I've made a lot of them."

"It happens to everyone. No one is perfect."

"How am I supposed to make up for them, though?" said Serena. "I've pretty much ruined everything. _Again."_

"You can't always fix things," said Grace. "The best you can do is to learn from what you've done and try your best not to make the same mistake twice."

Serena bit her lip.

"I don't know if I'm going to get a second chance for this one."

* * *

When Serena and Lillie stepped out of the Pokémon Center again a few minutes later, they found the sky darker than when they had entered. The moon, previously visible, was now obscured by clouds. The stars had gone missing. Everything above was a dim gray.

As they turned down the street toward Clemont's house, a biting gust of wind came upon them. Serena bowed her head and tightened her arms around herself, the ends of her scarf tossing about wildly. Lillie audibly shivered as she adjusted her coat.

"To think that I thought it was cold on Mount Lanakila..." she said. "This is unbearable!"

"This must be a shock to you after being in Alola for so long, isn't it?" said Serena.

"Very much so," said Lillie. "Spending ten years on an artificial tropical island in the middle of the ocean did not prepare me for this!"

"Have you ever seen snow before?"

"Up until a few weeks ago, I had not," said Lillie. "That changed when Ash and I climbed Mount Lanakila."

"Mmm."

Serena only hummed a response.

"It was only one of many firsts I experienced on our journey together," said Lillie.

The weight of Lillie's words brought silence over the two of them for a while. Several blocks passed before Lillie spoke again.

"I have to admit that I don't quite understand what has happened here," she said. "When Ash and I arrived, we barely had time for introductions with Clemont and Bonnie before you arrived and then ran out the door. I thought you ran because you were afraid of confronting me after what happened between us when you left Alola, but... I'm confused. I wanted to talk to you as soon as Ash and I arrived so I could explain what happened. I thought you would be furious with me!"

Lillie tightened her coat, almost as if trying to hide her face behind it.

"You know," she said. "About what I did with him. _Kissing him. _I assumed you would think it was petty revenge. But... it seems almost like you _expected _it. And now, after your conversation with your mother about Ash's letters, I'm more confused than ever. I don't know what to make of it all. I don't mean to pry, but I can't help but think that there's something I'm missing."

Her arms drawn tightly around herself, Serena walked for a few steps with her eyes closed. When she opened them again, she spoke.

"When you arrived, you didn't meet Aria, did you?" she asked.

"Aria?" said Lillie. "No, I'm afraid not. I only met Clemont and Bonnie. They didn't mention anyone with that name."

"I shouldn't be surprised," said Serena, shaking her head. "There's a lot to explain."

"Was I correct that I was missing something?"

"Yes. More than you realize."

Lillie hesitated a moment before responding.

"I'm not certain if I should be intrigued or intimidated by that," she said.

"I don't know, either," said Serena. "Maybe both, honestly. This is all so crazy that I don't even know where to start."

Another gust of wind whirled through the streets. A few more of the most stubborn leaves detached from the trees and disappeared into the night sky. Serena waited for the gust to pass before speaking again.

"Maybe Ash already told you about this, but when I traveled with him here in Kalos, I performed in competitions called Pokémon Performance Showcases," said Serena. "I don't think they have them anywhere other than Kalos, but they're a big deal here. The winner of each year's Master Class Showcase is given the title of Kalos Queen."

"Do you mean like actual royalty?" said Lillie.

"No, but the Kalos Queen may as well be an actual queen. She's always an idol. The reigning Kalos Queen is probably the biggest star in Kalos right now."

"Who is she?"

"Aria."

Confusion registered on Lillie's face for long enough to stifle her attempted reply. Serena continued.

"I met Aria a few times when I was performing in showcases. I ended up competing with her at the Master Class Showcase. I came in second place. She won."

"You were the runner up?"

"Yes, but it wasn't as close as it sounds," said Serena. "Aria is a legend. I didn't stand a chance against her. Showcases are kind of like a cross between a talent show, a beauty pageant, and a popularity contest. There was no way I could beat her in any of those."

"You sell yourself short."

"You haven't met Aria," said Serena. "She's... captivating."

"I'd certainly be curious to meet her."

"You'll get your chance," said Serena. "She's at Clemont's house."

"But why is she there?" said Lillie. "And if she is there, why didn't she come to greet us when Ash and I arrived?"

"That's... complicated. It's all complicated. The short answer is that she's hiding."

"Hiding? From what?"

"From her former mentor and agent, Palermo."

"Why?"

"Because Palermo has pretty much held Aria captive for the last ten years."

"Captive?" said Lillie. "How? What do you mean?"

"Palermo is a famous former Kalos Queen herself," said Serena. "She's revered by the people of Kalos. She's spent her entire life in show business, and it's considered an incredible honor for her to offer to take you under her wing. What almost no one knows is that it's a trap."

"A trap?"

"Palermo signs promising young girls into contracts that allow her to control their finances, and pretty much their entire lives. She uses them for money, and to sustain her own fame and fortune. Aria was Palermo's best victim. I was going to be her next one, until Aria warned me. Palermo talked to me after the Master Class Showcase, gave me her business card, and tried to trick me into thinking I needed her in order to be successful. Aria set up a crazy plot to get the chance to talk to me alone, without Palermo noticing. She told me the truth about Palermo. Palermo later found out about what happened, and she retaliated by taking all of Aria's money. Aria ran away, and that's why she's hiding now."

"Goodness," said Lillie. "That's... quite a lot to take in all at once. I'm not sure I understand it all."

"There are a lot more details, trust me," said Serena. "That's why Aria is at Clemont's house, though. We're trying to protect her, and to find a way to free her from Palermo's control."

"Should we really be discussing this out in the open?" said Lillie. She looked around as if expecting to see someone looming over her shoulders.

"Maybe not, but it doesn't matter," said Serena. "Palermo definitely knows where Aria is. She won't try to get her back using force, though. It would attract too much attention. For now, all we can do is wait. Aria is pretty much trapped inside the house."

Lillie frowned and looked down at her feet.

"I can understand her reluctance to introduce herself," she said.

Serena bit down on the inside of her lip for a moment and let out a sharp breath.

"There's more to it than that," she said.

"Yes, you did say this was a complicated situation, after all," said Lillie. "I think I understand well enough for now, though."

"I wish that was true."

Serena stopped. Clemont's house stood up ahead in the distance. She bowed her head. Lille stopped next to her.

There was yet another gust of wind. When it passed, Serena turned to face Lillie. She sighed, then spoke.

"Aria being in hiding is part of why she didn't introduce herself," she said. "That's not all there is to it, though. The truth is, she _really _doesn't want to talk to Ash. She doesn't want him to be there at all."

Lillie looked more confused than ever.

"Why not?" she said.

"Because Aria and I are more than friends. We're... _together."_

Lillie's mouth opened, and her face went slack. Serena looked away. She couldn't bear to meet Lillie's eyes. She squirmed in place before she continued.

"When I stopped getting Ash's letters, I thought he had stopped sending them because he had moved on. I thought he had chosen you instead."

Lillie bit down on her lip. She shook her head.

"I thought he wasn't coming back," said Serena. "I was wrong."

Lillie shut her eyes. Her head down, she folded her hands together. She didn't move.

Serena glanced up at the house. As she did, she felt a raindrop land on her forehead. She wiped it away with her palm, then held her hand out, palm upward. A few seconds later, she felt another raindrop.

She grimaced up at the sky. _Of course_ it was raining. Why did everything have to be like a movie all the time?

Serena took a step forward. She looked back toward Lillie. Lillie hadn't moved.

"I'm sorry," said Serena. "I've ruined everything, again."

Lillie still did not move. Serena let her gaze linger on Lillie for a moment, then turned away. The raindrops came more steadily now. As she took a few more steps, she wasn't certain if what she heard was the patter of the raindrops on the street or a sniffle. Perhaps it was both.

"We should get going," she said.

She wasn't sure why she bothered. When she entered the house, she entered alone.

* * *

When Serena reached the top of the stairs, she saw the door to Clemont's room open. The sound of voices came from inside. She stopped, and so did they. There was movement, followed by hurried footsteps headed in her direction. A moment later, Ash bounded out the door and into the hall.

"Hey, there you are!" he said.

Serena felt herself shrink before him. It was difficult to meet his eyes, let alone take in the expression on his face. She stole a few quick glances at him before biting down hard on her lip and casting her eyes aside.

Ash was so different, and yet so very much the same. His face still shone with the same boundless enthusiasm as always, but his dark eyes showed something deeper. He was more than just excited. They were subtle, but there were other emotions hidden behind the façade, cast in shadow by his sheer brightness. Serena knew where to look, though. She could see them all, plain as day. Worry, confusion, even fear.

"Hi," she said.

The word left her lips like a blade cutting through Ash's sails. He deflated. His shoulders slackened.

"Hey," he said.

"How have you been?"

Serena cringed internally. It was a throwaway question, a transparent diversion.

"Good," said Ash. "What about you, though?"

"Not so good."

Ash made an awkward face. He scratched his neck.

"I'm sorry I was gone for so long," he said.

"It's okay. You were really busy. You had important things to do. I know you did your best to get back to me as quickly as you could."

"Yeah, I did," said Ash.

"Yeah."

Serena tightened her lips and looked at the floor. Ash looked past her, down the stairs. He placed a hand on the back of his neck.

"Did Lillie find you?" he asked.

"Yes."

"Oh, cool," he said. "Did she, uh, tell you what happened?"

"Yes."

Again, Ash's face contorted with awkwardness.

"I'm... really sorry about that," he said.

"Don't be," said Serena. "You have nothing to be sorry for. It's not your fault."

"You're not mad?"

"No."

"Not even at Lillie?"

"No."

"Um... where is she, anyway? Wasn't she with you?"

"She's still outside. She'll be in shortly, I think."

"What's she doing out there? She can't stand the cold! She thought she was going to freeze as soon as we got here!"

"She just... needed a minute to herself, I think."

"Huh? Why? What happened?"

"It's complicated."

"Huh. Okay."

Ash scratched his cheek. He held his head at a slight angle, confusion all over his face. Serena didn't get the impression that he saw much of anything.

"How much do you know about what happened here while you were gone?" said Serena.

"Not a lot," said Ash. "Clemont was filling me in, but he didn't get very far."

"Are you aware that Aria is here?"

"Yeah, but I haven't seen her."

"That's probably because she's hiding from you in the spare bedroom."

"Huh? Why would she hide from me? I'm not gonna turn her over to Palermo or anything!"

"She has more reason to want to avoid you than I think you know," said Serena.

"But why?"

Serena tightened both her lips and her jaw. She drew in a long breath through her nose.

"I'll tell you," said Serena. "I promise I'll tell you. I'll explain everything, but I need to talk to Aria first."

Ash did nothing to vocalize it, but Serena was more than capable of recognizing the disappointment in his eyes.

"I need a few minutes, and then I'll get back to you, I promise," said Serena. "I just... _really _need to talk to her by myself first. Is that okay?"

Ash hesitated for a moment before he nodded.

"Okay," he said.

Serena nodded at him in return. Trying to avoid his eyes, she stepped past him. She half expected him to reach out and stop her as she passed.

But he didn't. Instead, when Serena looked back she saw Ash's eyes linger on her for one more moment before he turned and went back through the door into Clemont's room.

A chill came over Serena as she stood in the hall, alone. She gazed at the door to the spare bedroom at the far end of the hall, nothing separating her from it but a short expanse of painfully empty space. She stood there for a while, rigid with tension. She only moved again when she heard the front door open downstairs, the sound breaking the suffocating silence. She snapped back to attention from the surprise and blinked, only realizing afterward that her eyes had slid out of focus.

Serena never doubted who was at the door, but Ribombee's impromptu emergence from her Poké Ball made it certain. Chittering, Ribombee buzzed away, disappearing down the stairs.

Serena glanced at the bedroom door again. She shivered. She had no idea what awaited her on the other side of the door, but as she approached, slowly putting one foot in front of the other, she felt as though she were on her way to the gallows.

She took one more deep breath before she placed her hand on the doorknob and turned it. She stepped inside.

The only light came from Aria's bedside lamp. In the dim light, Serena saw Aria seated on the bench by the windowsill, her legs pulled up to her chest and her arms wrapped around them. The curtains were open. Aria stared out the window, seemingly at nothing. All that Serena could see through the window in the darkness was the form of raindrops trickling down the exterior glass.

Making as little noise as she could, Serena shut the door behind her. She turned the lock.

"You're back," said Aria.

Aria didn't move. For several seconds, neither did Serena. She stood still in front of the door, hoping not to have to respond. Her throat felt too tight to force words through it. Instead of speaking, Serena slipped her bag off of her shoulder and placed it down on the floor.

As silently as she could, almost on her tiptoes, Serena crossed the room. It occurred to her that it was the first time she had ever been able to walk directly across it. It was completely clean. Aria's job was done.

She stopped beside Aria. Aria remained still. In the dim reflection in the window, Serena saw Aria blink. It was the only movement she made.

Still at a loss for words, Serena remained silent. She thought for a moment. There was not much space on the bench, but there was enough. She stepped around it, then sat down beside Aria.

Startled, Aria turned her head and looked at Serena. Their eyes met, and a moment later, Serena leaned in toward Aria and wrapped her arms around her. Aria went rigid.

"What are you doing?" she said.

"I'm holding you," said Serena.

"Don't," said Aria.

"But-"

"Please, don't."

Aria pushed away. She broke free of Serena's arms, then moved herself a few more inches away, all the way to the far end of the bench. Still, only a short distance separated the two of them.

Serena exhaled a long breath and rubbed her forehead.

"I'm an idiot," she said. "I'm such an idiot."

"Serena."

Aria's tone was sharp. Serena looked and saw something in Aria's eyes that she had seen only one time before. The last time she had seen it was on Aria's yacht, mere minutes prior to throwing herself off of it.

It was anger. Genuine, bitter anger.

"Don't you _dare_ call yourself an idiot for being with me," said Aria.

"That's... not what I meant."

"Then what else could you have meant?" said Aria. "You didn't seem to have any second thoughts about this _before_ he came running back to you like your own personal knight in shining armor."

"You don't understand."

"Oh? And just what do I not understand? I _know _you didn't come in here to tell me that you still want to be with me. You've already made that perfectly clear with everything you _haven't _said."

"It's more complicated than that!" said Serena. "Lillie explained some things to me."

"Like what?" said Aria. "That she and Ash aren't really together?"

"What? How do you know that?!"

"It's obvious."

"No, it isn't!"

"It really is."

"Well, it's not obvious to me!"

Aria rolled her eyes. She shook her head.

"Nothing ever is," she said.

Serena halted mid-breath and pulled away an inch or two. It was not the first time she had heard those exact words.

"It's... really not obvious, though," Serena said, almost whispering. "Lillie has feelings for him. She kissed him."

"So what?" said Aria. "He clearly didn't reciprocate, did he?"

"No."

"No surprise there."

"It's a surprise to me!" said Serena. "I thought he stopped writing to me because he had fallen for her instead!"

"Did it occur to you that perhaps he was simply too busy roleplaying as a hero, like he always does?"

"Ash isn't like that."

"He is _so _like that."

"He doesn't just give up on things! He never does, no matter what!"

"But you thought he did."

"I-"

Serena stopped mid-sentence and froze.

"I thought he gave up on me because I stopped getting letters from him!" said Serena. "There was evidence! What else was I supposed to think?"

"Strange," said Aria. "Evidence has never been enough to convince you of anything before."

"Aria!"

"What? It's true! How many times have you failed to learn from your mistakes despite there being a mountain of evidence that what you were doing wasn't working?"

Incensed, Serena did not reply. Her teeth bared, she clenched both her jaw and her fists. She looked away.

"How many more times are you going to have to burn your life to the ground because of your feelings for him before you realize you don't need him?"

"What?"

"He _limits_ you!" said Aria. "How can you not see that?"

"How can you think that when I've made it perfectly clear how much he's done for me?" said Serena. "He _saved _me!"

"Sure he did, a long time ago. Things change."

"The only reason you hate him so much is because of my feelings for him!"

"That's not the _only_ reason," said Aria. "I won't deny that it's one of them, though."

"What other reason could you possibly have? You barely know him!"

"It's because of _him _that I don't get to play any part in controlling my own destiny!"

"What? What are you talking about? _Palermo _is the one who ruined everything for you!"

"I'm in love with you, and your relationship with him crashed and burned, but it's because he simply _exists_ that I can't have the relationship I want to have with you! And don't even try to pretend that the plan all along hasn't been to wait for him to show up so that he can beat Palermo for me. You can't hide it. I know it's true."

"How... how can you say any of this? How do you know any of this?"

"Serena. _Really? _It's the most obvious plan in the world."

"Ash can beat her! He's the only trainer we know who will believe us and is strong enough to do it!"

"No thanks."

"What?"

"I'll pass."

"You- You can't be serious!"

"I am. I don't want his help."

"Aria!"

"No. Absolutely not."

"We _need _him!"

"I most certainly _do not _need him."

"He can stop Palermo! I know he can do it!"

"Think about what you're saying! Do you have any idea what it would feel like for me to liberated by the person who has taken you away from me? It's adding insult to injury!"

"But you need his help!"

Aria's face flared with anger.

"I absolutely, unquestionably _do not _need him, and neither do you! Don't you _dare _imply that I do!"

Serena sat there, silent, watching Aria seethe. She said nothing.

"I refuse his help outright," said Aria. "I would sooner turn myself over to Palermo than degrade myself by allowing him to masquerade as my knight in shining armor. I did not endure all this time in captivity just to become yet another one of his damsels in distress. It's meaningless to him. I am not going to live my life as a footnote on his list of accomplishments, and neither should you."

Serena hung her head.

"Aria, please. Don't do this to yourself."

"I should say the same to you."

"You told me so many times to stop making myself suffer for no reason. Why would you do the same to yourself?"

"Because if he is the one to save me, I will have truly had everything taken from me. Palermo was never able to take away my dignity or my love. If Ash saves me, I would lose both of them, too."

Aria gave Serena a deadpan glare. It made Serena pause for a second, long enough for Aria to shake her head, look away, and speak again.

"I don't know why I tried to convince myself that anything different would happen," she said. "I knew it all along."

Silence fell for a few seconds. Aria's words lingered in Serena's ears. A thought came to her. When it popped into her head, a jolt went through her heart. Her stomach sank as though an ice cube had slipped down her throat and landed in it.

"Ash kept writing to me."

Serena tightened her lips and locked her eyes with Aria's. She continued in a level, dangerously quiet tone.

"He never stopped writing to me," she said. "I bet you knew that, too, didn't you?"

Aria was silent.

"I sent him a letter before I left home. I don't know why, but it never made it to him. It made it back to me, though. I used Clemont's house as the return address. Since it never made it to him, Ash kept writing to my home address. My mom forwarded all of those letters to me here. I didn't get any of those. Something happened to them."

There was a long pause. Serena kept her eyes fixed on Aria, glaring at her.

"Serena."

Aria's voice was quiet as well. She continued.

"Are you accusing me of tampering with your mail?" said Aria.

"It's obvious, isn't it?"

Anger creased Aria's face.

"Think about what you're suggesting!" said Aria. "Do you really think I would do something so underhanded?"

"You've deceived me before."

"I was trying to save you from Palermo's trap! I was trying to help you!"

"You seem to think that separating me from Ash would count as _helping me, _too."

"In a sense, yes, but this isn't the same kind of situation!"

"You hid Ash's letters from me, didn't you?"

"I did no such thing."

"You had the perfect opportunity to do it," said Serena. "You were stuck here all day while I was at work. You were here every day when the mail arrived. It would have been so easy for you to just take the letters, and I never would have known."

"Serena."

"And you let my returned letter to him slip through on purpose, so that it looked like he had moved on from me."

"Serena, I didn't do it!"

"Prove it."

"How am I supposed to prove my _innocence?_ The justice system abandoned that in _medieval times _because of how flawed that reasoning is!"

"Who else would have done it?"

"Who else do you _think _would have done it? We already have someone trying to ruin all of our lives."

"Why would Palermo want anything to do with this?" said Serena. "How would she even do it?"

"I don't know," said Aria. "I told you, she's impossible to predict. She plans too far ahead to understand, and she never makes a direct move unless she's forced into it. With her, nothing is out of the question."

"That sounds like an easy excuse to me," said Serena.

"An excuse for what?"

"For the much more _obvious _explanation of you stealing Ash's letters when they arrived while I wasn't here!"

"I told you already, I didn't do it!"

"Why should I believe you?"

"Do you trust me at all?"

Serena caught herself before she spoke. She clenched her mouth shut and looked away.

"How could I have possibly hidden them from you all this time?" said Aria. "We share this room! Where could I have kept them? I've been slowly cleaning this place up. The hiding places have been disappearing!"

Serena begrudgingly glanced at all the newfound open floor space.

"Not to mention, you've seen what a nervous wreck I am when I get close to you!" said Aria. "I absolutely _melt _when I'm with you. How could I have kept something so awful a secret from you for so long? I've been right under your nose the whole time I've been here! And furthermore, I haven't even been here the whole time you have! If you're missing letters from before when I arrived, I couldn't possibly have taken them. I was hiding in an abandoned building and working in a café!"

Serena bowed her head. She stared at her lap.

"I would never do something so hurtful to you," said Aria. "I've never wanted to hurt you."

"I never wanted to hurt you, either," said Serena.

"And we've managed to do it anyway," said Aria. "It's that old cliché. You always hurt the one you love."

Serena glanced at Aria again.

"You... said you were in love with me," said Serena.

Aria bit down on her lip and looked aside.

"I did," she said.

"You've never said that before."

"It's pretty obvious, I think."

Serena took hold of the scarf around her neck with one hand. She tugged at it. She felt too warm.

"It is."

Aria sighed. She shook her head.

"It doesn't matter now," she said. "Not anymore. I know I can't compete with Ash in your head or your heart. I've known it the whole time."

Aria made a strained face, and she glanced up at the window. The rain continued, harder now.

"I think you knew that, too," said Aria. "That's why it took so long for you to admit what was happening between us."

"If you knew it, then... why did you let any of this happen?"'

"Are you serious?" said Aria. "I couldn't help what my feelings were for you! What was the alternative supposed to be? That I never acted on them and sat there aching with loneliness while I watched you unravel from the stress of waiting for Ash to come back to you? Was I supposed to refuse to live my own life?"

"I don't know!" said Serena.

"Maybe it was foolish of me, but I had hope," said Aria. "I wanted to believe that it would work out in the end. I wanted to believe that things really were over between you two."

"But I clearly wasn't over him."

"You left him."

"It wasn't that simple."

"You _left him."_

"We didn't break up!"

"You left him, and you left him with another girl! You _expected _that he would fall for her!"

"I mean-"

"I thought you gave up on him! I thought you had finally learned something from all of this!"

"I thought he gave up on me!" said Serena. "I was wrong."

"Do you have any idea what it's like for me to hear you say that?" said Aria. "Do you understand what that implies? It means that my feelings for you don't matter, because his feelings for you are more important!"

"Aria-"

"How can his feelings possibly matter at this point? After everything we've been through together, how can that be relevant anymore? We've been flirting for months! We've been together for _weeks_ now! You can't tell me that you didn't choose this! You wanted this!"

"I-"

"You left him! You left him with _another girl!_ You _set him up _with her! Now what? He didn't take the easy bait, so he's the one who's more worthy of your love?"

"Please-"

"What does that make me? Your rebound? Your sidepiece?"

"Aria! I really, truly thought I had moved on from him! I was wrong!"

"Oh, so you realize you actually really do still want to be with him as soon as he walks back into your life? So, what then? You were simply with me out of _convenience? _Because I was _here?"_

"I didn't realize I was going to feel like this! I thought that he and I had both moved on! All of the signs pointed that way?"

"Is that supposed to be a comfort to me or something? Am I supposed to feel better because you didn't realize any of this?"

"I was _tricked!" _said Serena. "I made my choice based on bad information!"

"What a _delight_ it is to hear you say that you _chose _me based on bad information."

"I didn't mean for this to happen! I didn't want this to happen!"

"Of _course_ you didn't want it to happen! Do you seriously think that's a valid excuse? You wanted to have _both_ me and him. You didn't choose me over him! You chose me until he came back for you!"

"I didn't think he was coming back for me anymore!"

"So as soon as you decide you can't count on him to come back to you, you move onto the next person in line? Is that how this works?"

"Aria!"

"Tell me how this is anything other than a completely transparent case of you being willing to throw yourself at anyone who likes you."

"That's not what this is!"

"It's_ obvious _that you are completely desperate to attach yourself to someone, anyone at all who you think can show you the way!"

"I-"

"Can you name _one _instance in which you declined the advances of someone who was interested in you?"

It took Serena only a moment to think of the counterexample.

"Tierno!" she said. "I wasn't interested in him at all! Same for that guy who moved in next door in Vaniville Town! I wasn't into him, either!"

"That's because you're a _lesbian, _and you're so obsessed with Ash as your surrogate father figure that you've mistaken it for attraction!"

Serena felt like she had been slapped. Taken aback, she stared at Aria aghast, both her eyes and mouth wide open.

Aria folded her arms.

"Yes, I went there," she said. "Not the best way to approach the subject, but you needed to hear it eventually."

"You-"

"You know it's true."

_"You don't know how I feel!"_

Aria recoiled from the volume of Serena's reply. It echoed off the walls. The moment of silence that came after was deafening.

"You weren't there!" said Serena. "You weren't there the times I pinned Ash to the ground and made out with him like I wanted to eat him alive! Would you like to hear the details of _exactly_ what I felt? I'll _gladly _tell you what I wanted to do with him. I'll be as explicit as you like!"

"Spare me the details," said Aria. "I don't think my stomach can take it."

Serena rolled her eyes. Aria spoke again before Serena could fire off her retort.

"I suppose that disproves one part of my theory," said Aria. "Here's a question, though. Exactly how many guys have you felt attraction toward other than Ash?"

"Do you really think I'm going to answer that question?"

"Not necessarily, but I'm making a point!" said Aria. "I've literally never heard you describe any guy other than Ash as attractive, but I've heard you say it about _several _girls. What am I supposed to assume from that?"

"That I like _both!"_

"And am I also supposed to ignore the obvious fact that you look up to Ash as a role model in the same way a girl would look up to her father?"

"Leave my dad out of this! What is wrong with you?"

"What's _wrong_ is _your_ idea that you _have_ to be in a relationship! You crave it _desperately! _You openly admit that seeking out Ash was your entire reason for leaving home! Literally everything you did along the way was either for him or because of him in some way!"

"Ash isn't just some guy! Can't you see that he and I have a relationship that's bigger than that?"

"No! What I see is you blindly chasing after someone you've placed on a pedestal that's so high you can't even see who he really is!"

"You don't know Ash!"

"I know more than enough about him to know that he is never going to be able to give you what you want!"

_"He _is what I want!"

"You don't want _him! _You want your _idea_ of him!"

"You don't understand!"

Aria became even more enraged.

"I _absolutely _understand! I know _exactly_ what it is like for people to want you for their idea of who you are instead of who you really are!"

"That's different! You're a celebrity! Ash is just Ash!"

"He is not _just _Ash to you."

"I love him!"

"He's your entire world!"

"He-"

Serena stopped herself. Aria had taken the words right out of her mouth.

"How can you not see how unhealthy that is?" said Aria. "He isn't a person to you!"

"Yes he is!"

"He's a _concept_ to you! You can't be in a relationship with an idea! You can't hold someone to that kind of standard! It's impossible for them to live up to it!"

"I don't want him to live up to some ideal! I just want him to be Ash!"

"He's _been_ being Ash this whole time, and look where that's gotten you!"

"It was myfault that everything fell apart, not his!"

"He isn't blameless! He can't be! That's not how relationships work!"

"How would you know that?"

"It's not a matter of experience! It's common sense!"

"Ash isn't responsible for what I did!"

"No, but there are a million things he could have done to be a better boyfriend! Did he ever do _anything_ to help meet your emotional needs? He didn't even notice that anything was wrong until it was too late!"

"That's because I never told him! I never told anyone! It was my fault for not communicating!"

"You shouldn't have to explain to your boyfriend that your jealousy about his interactions with another girl is eating you alive! That should have been obvious to anyone who paid even a bit of attention to you!"

"It's not his fault! Ash just doesn't think that way!"

"Do you really think that you can have a successful relationship with him if he's incapable of understanding anything about your feelings by himself?"

"Yes! I just have to tell him what I'm feeling! I never did, and that was the whole problem! He would do anything for me if I just _tell him_ first!"

"And we _both_ know how talented you are at telling other people about your feelings in a timely manner."

"I've been doing the best I can! Things have been so complicated for so long, and I'm so sick of it! I don't want things to be this way!"

"You _make_ them this way!"

"I didn't do any of this on purpose!"

"That changes _nothing."_

"It changes everything! I didn't try to trick you! I didn't try to have both you and Ash at the same time! I really, truly thought that he had moved on, and so I thought it was time for me to move on, too!"

"You clearly _didn't _move on, because you want to go running back to him the _instant_ you found out he still wants you, despite the fact that you're in a relationship with me!"

"I-"

Serena stopped herself. She struggled to think of a rebuttal. Aria spoke again.

"Do I mean _nothing _to you?"

"Ash _saved _me! He's my hero! He's given me everything I have!"

Aria clenched her jaw. Her teeth bared, she shook as tears formed in the corners of her eyes.

_"You_ saved _me!"_ she said. "You're _my_ hero! You fought for me! You rescued me! You're the only person I've ever known who didn't want something more from me! You're the only one who wanted _me!"_

"Aria…"

"Why do you want him more than me? Why am I not good enough?!"

The pooling tears in Aria's eyes overflowed and ran down her cheeks.

Unable to think of an adequate response, Serena tightened her lips and bowed her head.

"My life has been controlled by someone so famous and respected that she can get away with anything she wants, and you are the first person ever to believe me and help me fight back! Even though it puts you in danger, you're still protecting me! Even though we don't have a way to win, you're still fighting for me! But if you're willing to do all that for me, why don't you _want_ me?!"

"I do want you!"

"You want Ash more!"

"I- I don't know what to do!"

"You can't have us both! I know that's what you want!"

"I…"

Serena sighed and slumped her shoulders.

"I don't want to lose either of you!" she said.

"You were separated from Ash for months by your own choice, and now that he's back, you want to be with him again so much that what we have isn't enough to stop you. Do you have any idea how much that hurts?"

Serena didn't respond.

"You two made some unspoken promise to each other about never giving up when you were little kids, and _that_ matters more than everything that has happened between us?"

"You still don't understand how much that meant to me! You never have!"

"How could I? How could anyone? It's ridiculous! You've based your life on the philosophy of a five-year-old!"

"My memories of Ash were the _only _thing that kept me from running away when I was a kid! Vaniville Town was like a prison! My mom and I fought about everything! The only thing she wanted for me was to follow in her footsteps and fulfill the dreams that she never could because she had to give up on them to take care of me. My dad gave up on her! He even gave up on me! How could I ever give up on anything?!"

"How can you not see how self-destructive that attitude is? So many of your problems have been caused by you refusing to give up even when you should! It's why you never learn from any of your mistakes! Do you really not see that?"

"Of _course_ I see that!"

"Then why can't you let anything go?"

"Because that isn't who I am!"

Serena's reply silenced Aria for a moment, long enough to force Aria to gather her thoughts, and long enough for Serena to continue.

"Do you really think I _want_ things to be like this?" said Serena. "I didn't ask for my brain to work this way! I don't ask my brain to keep me up at night replaying conversations and overanalyzing every interaction. It just happens. I don't want to be like this! I spent years thinking about what Ash said to me every single day. I never forgot! Not a single detail! How could I? What he did mattered more to me than anything else that ever happened to me!"

"How can you be so stuck in the past like this?" said Aria. "Life goes on! Why can't you move on? Ash rescued you from that forest, did he not? Why are you still stuck there?"

"Because he saved my life and I love him!"

"Do you actually love _him?"_

"Don't even start with this."

"Do you love Ash, or do you love the image you have of him in your mind?"

"Don't."

"Because I think it's the latter. I always have."

"No. Stop. Just stop."

"Do you really want a partner who is oblivious to your emotions and would abandon you at a moment's notice to risk life and limb for a stranger?"

"I said _stop! _You don't understand!"

"What's your endgame? Do you want to settle down with him? He's never going to be happy living a life like that. I know you know that."

"You don't understand how I feel!"

"I understand enough to know that you're going to continue to put yourself through this no matter the cost and regardless of whether or not it will make you happy."

"Why does that matter to you?"

"Because I care about you!"

"What do you expect to get from this? Are you trying to convince me to let go of my feelings for him so that you can have me for yourself?!"

Aria's composure faltered for a moment, and she struggled to respond.

"I-"

"If that's what you want, it's not working!" said Serena.

"I would be lying to you if I said I didn't want that," said Aria, "but what I want most of all is for you to stop hurting yourself by chasing other people like it's some kind of compulsion!"

"I'm not chasing anyone!"

"Not now! But you chased Ash, and you even chased me, _literally!_ All because you felt like you _had_ to apologize to me, or else things would never be right! Look where that has gotten you! _This_ is the mess you created! You. _You_ created it, all because you refused to give up!"

"I did the right thing! Don't even try to tell me that you would rather still be hiding in an abandoned building!"

"This isn't about me. It's about you. There is _no way_ that this was a better outcome for you than just letting go of everything with me and moving on."

"I couldn't let go! I _care_ about you!"

"You could have gotten exactly what you wanted if you had just stopped following me. No Palermo, no protecting me. Just a fun time with your friends for a couple of months, and you're waiting here with open arms for Ash when he comes back. So easy."

"And what would have happened to you? You needed help! I couldn't just ignore you!"

"No, but perhaps you should have."

"What are you even saying?"

"I'm saying that none of this had to happen, and right now, I wish it hadn't, because it's clearly all over."

Serena froze for a moment, breathless in the silence which followed Aria's words. A knot tightened inside her stomach. She was reluctant to reply.

"...what do you mean?"

Aria closed her eyes and shook her head.

"You know what I mean," she said.

"I..."

"We can't stay together. Not after this."

"You mean-"

"You love someone else," said Aria. "It's as simple as that."

"But-"

Serena couldn't find the right words. In the moment of silence that followed, Aria took a deep, shaky breath.

"We never had a good reason or opportunity to talk about this, and it doesn't matter now, but I want to say it, anyway," said Aria. "I love you. I don't know if you feel that way about me or not, but… well, I like to think that if things had been different, maybe you would have felt that way about me eventually. Maybe we could have had something truly special."

"What do you mean _could have?"_

Serena was startled by the sound of her own voice, how achingly desperate it was. Aria shook her head.

"I don't want it to be," said Aria, "but… it's over."

"No…"

"Yes, I'm afraid so. The writing is on the wall. It always has been, honestly. I chose to ignore it, but I can't anymore."

"You can't."

"I can."

"You can't just tell me that you love me and then break up with me!"

"I'm telling you the truth. It's time we both admitted the truth."

"What are you talking about?"

"I love you. You love Ash. You don't love me."

"I…"

Serena couldn't understand how there were any more tears available for her eyes to shed, but her heart seized, she clenched her eyes shut, and the drops ran down her face.

"I _do _love you."

Aria tightened her lips. She grimaced and looked down.

"You love Ash more than me, though. There's no denying it."

Serena stared at Aria, trying not to cry and finding it utterly impossible, at last confronted with the plain, ugly, naked truth of the matter. There was no way to deny what Aria said. She couldn't. It was true.

Aria sniffled. She wiped a tear from the corner of her eye as she looked up and spoke again.

"So, there's no way for us to continue to be together now that he's here," she said. "We can't hide from the truth any longer."

"I can't lose you!"

"There's nothing to be done. There's no helping it. This is simply how things are. You can't have us both."

"I need you!"

"No, you don't. You don't need anyone, actually. I think it's time you stopped hiding from that truth, as well."

"It's not true! I was so lost without you!"

"After all this time, how can you think that I know what I'm doing? I clearly don't. That should have been obvious, too."

Serena did not say anything. She exhaled deeply and hunched over, covering her face with both hands.

"I don't want this, either," said Aria. "But after everything that has happened, everything we've said here today, we can't keep going. There's no way. I wish our circumstances were different, but it's time we accepted the reality of what we have. We can't be together, no matter how much I wish we could."

"But… now what?"

Serena looked up at Aria.

"Hmm?" said Aria.

"What are we going to do?"

"What do you mean? It's finished."

"What are you going to do? Are you going to stay… _here?"_

Serena gestured around the room. Aria seemed inextricable from it, her handiwork visible in every nook and cranny, not a single object in the room untouched by her. Every single improvement to it was born of her efforts.

"Lillie needs a bed, doesn't she?" said Aria. "I suppose I will finally take up residence on the sofa as I intended to when I first arrived."

"Please, don't-"

"I can't stay here," Aria said, interrupting. "Not now. I can't sleep in the same room as you after… everything. It's too awkward. It would hurt too much."

"Are you going to _leave?"_

"Maybe," said Aria. "If I can find somewhere else to go, yes. I'm not sure how many options I have, though. I may still be stuck here. And-"

There was a hitch in Aria's voice. She stopped for a moment, swallowed hard, then continued at a volume barely above a whisper, fighting back tears.

"And that's what hurts the most. I'm trapped. I'm out of options. My dreams are dead. You… were the last dream I had."

"I'm not gone," said Serena. "It's not over yet."

_"We're_ over, though. So is whatever future we could have had together."

"Don't," said Serena. "Please don't say that."

"It's the truth, is it not?" said Aria. "All the things that perhaps could have happened… they won't, now."

Serena's heart wrenched.

"Please don't talk like this. Please."

"Why? To avoid the truth for a little while longer?"

Serena held a hand to her forehead and shut her eyes. Two more teardrops fell and pattered onto the floor.

"I wish things were different," said Aria.

"Me too," said Serena.

"I like to think that under slightly different circumstances, we… well, we could have done so much more. We could have _been _so much more."

"Maybe. I… would have liked that."

"After your visit to my yacht, you made me think. It really is a shame that I don't know how to sail. It made me imagine one day learning how, leaving everything behind and sailing around the world-"

Aria faltered. She paused to sniffle again.

"-with you."

Serena choked back a sob. It came on too suddenly for her to contain it. She clenched her eyes shut and covered her nose and mouth with both hands. For several seconds, she shook as more tears fell, continuing in vain to hold them back. Her voice was strained when she spoke.

"I dreamed of that, too."

For a moment, Aria appeared astonished. As the realization swept over her, her face fell, and she tightened her lips. A grave, forlorn frown on her face, she looked down. She shook her head.

"That would have been lovely, wouldn't it?" she said. "A journey we will never make."

"Don't say that."

"Don't hide from the truth."

"We don't know what will happen."

"We do know some things that will not happen, though," said Aria. "Not all dreams come true. Few do, in fact."

"I don't want your dreams to die," said Serena. "I can't let them die because of me."

"Let it go."

"I wanted to make your life better!"

"You did, for a while. There's nothing more you can do now. Please, let it go."

"How am I supposed to do that?"

"I'm afraid I don't know," said Aria. "I wish I had one more answer for you, but I'm afraid you will have to figure that out on your own. There's nothing more I can do, either, it seems."

"That's not true!"

"Serena…"

Aria looked Serena in the eye. She paused for a while.

"It's been wonderful. It really has. I can't thank you enough for everything you've done for me. It's over, though."

There was another long silence. For a while, neither moved. Then, all at once, Aria stood and took a step away, and Serena reached out and took hold of her hand.

"Don't go," said Serena. "Not yet. Please."

Aria gazed at their hands, their fingers locked together.

"I don't _want_ to do this, you know," said Aria.

Serena's heart throbbed again. The thought came to her mind that she was holding Aria's hand for the last time. She clenched both her jaw and her eyes shut.

Then, for a while, she wept. In near-silence, she sat there holding Aria's hand, sniffling occasionally as the tears fell.

"I don't want to do this, either," she said. "I never wanted things to be this way."

"Nobody falls in love with someone with the intention of breaking up with them," said Aria.

Serena squeezed Aria's hand tighter.

"How are you so calm about this?" said Serena. "I feel like my heart is going to explode!"

"Calm?" said Aria. "I almost shouted myself hoarse at you earlier."

"I mean right now."

"I hide it better than you, I think. Learning how to act is both a blessing and a curse. My heart hurts, too."

Serena looked at Aria and saw that familiar enigmatic smile on her lips, but a terrible sadness in her eyes. It was deeper than sadness, though. There was a weight behind it. Aria looked tired, almost weary, fatigued in a way Serena had never seen before.

"I think," said Aria, "that this is the part where a normal person might say that they want to go home. I don't have one anymore, though. Being here with you was the closest thing to a home that I've had in a long time."

Aria swallowed. She looked toward the window.

"Although, come to think of it, perhaps that fits, given the situation," she said. She looked toward the ceiling. "There's that old saying about home being where the heart is. I don't want to leave you. I _do_ want to go home."

Serena shut her eyes again. She also wanted to go home, but she wasn't sure where that was for her anymore.

"I want all this to end," said Aria. "I'm tired of fighting, and running, and hiding, and pretending. I'm tired of being a fugitive, and an idol, and a possession. I just want to be a girl with her friends and her entire life ahead of her. I just want to be me. I just want to be free."

Aria gave Serena's hand a squeeze.

"It hurts, perhaps more now than it ever did before, but thank you for giving me a taste of that life. I will always cherish it."

Serena stared at Aria, frozen. Aria sighed.

"Well… time for me to go."

As their eyes lingered in contact, Aria's gaze pierced Serena, leaving a bleak feeling of finality in her stomach.

"I don't intend to take back anything I said, nor do I intend to apologize for it, but… I'm sorry for yelling at you," said Aria. "It really wasn't necessary."

Serena disagreed. She wanted to speak, to say anything, to do anything but sit there, but she was paralyzed.

"So… this is goodbye."

Aria pulled her hand away, and she slipped from Serena's grasp. Her gaze lingered on Serena for a moment, long enough for Serena to see a fresh tear streak down from Aria's eye.

Aria turned, took her bag from beside her bed, and left.

Serena was alone.

* * *

Time passed. Serena remained seated on the bench by the window, hunched over with her head in her hands. Minutes went by without her being aware of anything at all. She was mentally paralyzed. She knew her grim task was not yet done, and that the worst was yet to come.

A gust of wind brought her back to reality, a bucketful of raindrops all splashing against the window at once. She blinked several times and sat upright. The lamp beside what she supposed was now Aria's former bed remained on. Despite the steady stream of warm, golden light, the room seemed darker than before. There were no more towers of overflowing boxes or stacks of random junk to cast shadows over the room, but somehow the room was cast in deeper shadow than she had ever seen. It felt like the shadow loomed over her, but when she turned to look, there was nothing there.

Empty space. Nothing at all.

The shadow was her own.

She looked toward the door. It remained closed. A thin ribbon of faint light peeked in from the hall through the gap beneath it. Beside the door was her bag, remaining where she had dropped it upon entering the room.

After staring for a while, she rose from the bench. Her bones ached. Despite carrying nothing, she could not remember ever feeling so heavy. There was a terrible weight on her shoulders, a burden hung over her neck. She looked down. She still wore the scarf. The scarf was still as bright as ever. The rich scarlet hurt her eyes.

She reached for the scarf, ready to remove it. Just as her fingers touched the fabric, she paused.

The thin ribbon of light under the door was severed. Two shadows interrupted it. Two feet.

There was a knock at the door.

"Serena?"

Serena's heart lurched. It was Ash. She scurried toward the door.

"Coming!" she said.

Before she reached the door, Ash opened it. Serena stopped in her tracks, only halfway across the room. Their eyes met. Serena would have asked why, but the miscommunication was obvious. He had thought she said _come in._

"Hey," he said.

"Hey."

The dim, golden light made Ash's eyes shine a darker color than usual. The fire that had been in them earlier was gone. There was only one emotion behind them now. His excitement had been replaced by worry.

Ash stepped into the room. He left the door open as he entered, looking all around.

"What happened in here?" he said. "I heard a lot of yelling."

Serena wanted to cringe. She supposed it should have been obvious. There was no way that she and Aria had not been overheard by the rest of the house.

"Aria and I had a fight," she said.

"A fight?" said Ash.

"Not a fistfight or anything," said Serena. "An argument."

"About what?"

"A lot of things. There was no avoiding it, really. It was going to happen eventually."

"Huh?"

"Things are really complicated between me and Aria," said Serena.

"Yeah, I guess they are," he said. He glanced back out toward the hall for a moment. "I saw her go downstairs. I think she was... _crying."_

Serena nodded.

"She was."

"Why?" said Ash. "What happened?"

Serena shut her eyes and tightened her lips as she drew in a long, deep breath. There was no avoiding anything anymore. It was now or never.

"There's a lot that I need to explain to you," Serena said, meeting Ash's eyes again.

"Please, tell me," he said. "I'm really confused."

"Yeah, you have every reason to be confused," said Serena.

"I don't get it," said Ash. "Everything is so weird here. I thought everyone would be a lot more excited to see me. Especially... _you."_

Serena clenched her jaw and her eyes shut for a moment before she found the nerve to continue.

"You wrote to me every week while you were away," she said.

"Well, almost every week," Ash said, briefly rubbing the back of his neck. "I think I missed a couple. Sorry about that."

"Don't be sorry," said Serena. "I just wish I had known."

"Huh?"

"I only got about half of your letters. The first half, actually. I stopped getting them after I moved in here."

A lightbulb seemed to flash inside Ash's head.

"That's because I sent them to your house in Vaniville Town!" he said. "I bet your mom has them."

"She got them all," said Serena. "She tried to send them here to me, but they never showed up."

"Aw man, really?" said Ash. "They all got lost?"

Serena shook her head.

"I don't think they got lost," she said. "Not by accident, anyway. That's not the point, though."

Ash tilted his head. He narrowed his eyes. Serena continued.

"I didn't know about any of this until I talked to Lillie," she said. "She's the one who told me that you wrote to me every week, the whole time you were gone. But... I didn't know. I tried to write to you once, but my letter never made it to you. It got returned to me."

Serena tightly folded her arms. She looked away for a moment and paused to take a long breath. She let it out in one big puff.

"I didn't know," she said, shaking her head. "To me, it looked like something very different was happening. I stopped getting your letters, and my letter to you got sent back to me, and you started showing up in the news with Lillie. I saw pictures of you two together. I saw you riding on that legendary Pokémon together, saving the world together. I thought..."

Serena looked Ash in the eye again. Though his mouth hung slightly open, he was silent.

"I thought that you had _stopped _writing to me. I thought it was because-"

Serena looked up at the ceiling and shut her eyes, rubbing her temples.

"I can't believe I'm saying this," she said. "It sounds so _stupid _saying it to your face."

"Saying what?" said Ash.

"I thought you stopped writing to me because you chose Lillie instead of me. I thought you, you know, _fell _for her. Like she did for you."

Ash stared at her.

"It made sense to me at the time, I swear," said Serena. "It just sounds... really, _really _dumb now."

She pinched the bridge of her nose.

"I'm an idiot," she said. "I'm such an idiot."

"Why did you think I would do that?" said Ash.

"Because-"

Serena had to catch herself as she felt the oncoming wave of emotion welling up in her throat. Her head throbbed as she tried to push it back down. She didn't understand how she could possibly have any tears left to shed.

"...because I broke our promise," she whispered.

Ash's face slackened. Wide-eyed and wordless, he stared. Serena shook her head. She swallowed, hard. When she drew in a breath through her nose, it produced a sniffle despite her best efforts.

"I gave up," she said. "I gave up on you. I'm sorry."

Aside from blinking, Ash was motionless.

"That's why- well... the fight Aria and I had. We... _broke up."_

It seemed to take several seconds for Ash to assemble all the pieces of the puzzle. Biting down hard on the insides of her lips, trying in vain to stall the tears even as they began to fall, Serena watched Ash's face change. In slow motion, the tension fell from his shoulders. His head tilted downward. His wide eyes sagged under the weight of a different emotion. That same emotion caused his lips to close and to press together into a forlorn frown. He stared at the floor.

"I... see," he said.

At long last, Serena's heart broke. Clenching her entire body was not enough to push back the bitter sob that sputtered out through her teeth.

Ash stuffed his hands into his pockets. He looked up at her for just a moment, then slowly turned and walked out the door. On the other side of the threshold, with his back to her, he paused. Then, without looking, he reached behind himself and pulled the door shut.

Serena sank to her knees, then collapsed on the floor.


	12. Losing Faith

Chapter Twelve - Losing Faith

_Dear Ash,_

_It's been so long that I'm not sure what to say first. You wouldn't believe how long my hand hovered over this paper while I tried to figure out what words to write. Well, maybe you would, actually. You know me. That's not the point, though! The point is that I have a lot to tell you and I don't know where to start. I guess anywhere works, though, so the first thing I want to say is that I'm sorry._

_I know I've apologized a lot. Even though I've done it so much, I'm honestly not very good at it. I always apologize for "everything," or for no reason at all. That's different this time, though, because I've got a few very specific things to apologize for. I want to apologize to you for not telling you what was wrong until it was too late. I hope you haven't blamed yourself for anything that happened, because it wasn't your fault. I should have told you much sooner about how I felt about you helping Lillie. The only way you could have known about how I felt would have been for you to read my mind, and that wasn't fair to you at all. Everything that happened was because I was too scared to tell everyone the truth about what I felt. I'm sorry that I didn't have enough courage._

_M__y words on this page are no substitute for speaking to Lillie directly, and I am in no position to ask either of you for anything. Still, I would like to ask you to please pass my apology along to Lillie. __I want to apologize to her for betraying her trust. The dishonesty I showed her and my invasion of her privacy __was__ inexcusable. I don't expect her to ever forgive me. I wouldn't blame her one bit if she never did. I definitely haven't forgiven myself, and I'm not sure how I ever will. What I did to her has to be the worst thing I've ever done to anyone. __I don't know how I can ever make it up to her, but I want to try, one day._

_Lillie said in her final note to me that she wanted me to come back to Alola when I was ready, and I know that you never wanted me to leave. I don't think I'm going to come back, though. It doesn't feel right. It's weird to say this because it's been so long, but not much has happened since I left. I went home, and I've spent almost all of my time since then working on the ranch with my mom. I won't lie – I hate it here, but at least all the work has kept me busy and out of trouble. My mom and I have been getting along better than we used to, which is really nice. Things aren't perfect between the two of us, but we don't fight very often anymore, and she's been really understanding of me even though I've never really explained what happened. I wish she would stop trying to set me up with the boy who moved in next door, but that's another story._

_Your letters have been wonderful. I don't know how to tell you how much I appreciate them. __Up until today, they were the only interesting thing to happen during my time here. I was almost too scared to read them at first, believe it or not. I was afraid of what you would say to me. I'm so glad I found the courage to open them. I'm touched that you would think so much of me and go to so much effort to write to me every week. I'm almost embarrassed to admit it, but I've kind of been following your journey from afar. I feel like a weird fangirl saying this, but I actually made my own map of Alola and tried to chart your progress based on what you t__ell__ me every week. I've been looking up __all the Pokémon I don't recognize and reading about all the places you've been. It sounds like it's been incredible. I wish I could have been there with you._

_I miss you. A lot. It feels weird to say it, but I've never really admitted it to myself in all the time I've been here. I've been trying not to think about what happened, or much of anything, really. I don't know if this makes any sense, but it's kind of like I've been sleepwalking this whole time. I've just been here, waiting. Waiting for you. Waiting for anything to happen, really. Today was the first time anything worth mentioning has happened since I got here, and I guess that's why I'm writing back to you know. I should have tried to write back to you sooner. I didn't know where I was supposed to send my letter since you move around so much, but I could have at least tried. I'm sorry I didn't. _

_I thought today was going to be another normal day, but when I woke up and went outside I saw the full moon __on the horizon. __It was__ a deep, rusty red instead of silver or white. I remembered seeing the same thing once before with you and Clemont and Bonnie – a lunar eclipse. Did you see it in Alola, too? I'm not sure how that works, with you on the other side of the world and all. I'm sure Clemont explained __it to us__, but I definitely forgot what he said as soon as he said it. __You know how it is. Anyway, all of my Pokémon and my mom's Pokémon were gathered together in the field, watching it. I don't really understand what happened or why, but Cutiefly was super excited, and she did some kind of dance in front of the moon, and then she evolved. She's Ribombee now, apparently. I had to look it up. I'm not sure what to make of it, but please let Lillie know that she's doing just fine!_

_Ribombee's evolution wasn't the only thing that happened today, though. Around midday, I had visitors for the first time since I came back here. Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina showed up! I thought their visit was unannounced, but it turns out that my mom knew about it ahead of time. I didn't know it, but Clemont had called looking for me and ended up talking to my mom, and my mom ended up talking to Clemont and Bonnie's dad, and somehow that all ended up with their dad offering me a job at his shop in Lumiose City. __It's all happened so fast, and it honestly sounds kind of crazy, but I'm writing this right now while Bonnie and Korrina are asleep in my room after spending the rest of the day helping me pack. I accepted the offer, and we're all leaving together tomorrow morning._

_That's why the return address on this letter is for Clemont's house instead of mine, if you haven't noticed. __It's weird to write this or even think it, but I'm going to be living there for a while. I'm not sure how long, but I guess as long as it takes to do whatever work Clemont and Bonnie's dad has for me. So, assuming this letter finds its way to you, please write to me at my new address instead! _

_I __wish I had time to say more, but I need to put this letter in the mail tomorrow morning, and I really need to get some sleep. I hope that you, Lillie, and all of your Pok__é__mon are doing great, and I wish nothing but the best for all of you. I hope I hear from you again soon. Even more, I hope I can see you again soon. I miss you so much, but I understand that what you're doing is important. Take all the time you need, and I'll be waiting here for you._

_It's not over. I'll never give up. I promise._

_Love,_

_\- Serena_

* * *

Serena's vacant eyes lingered over the page even though the handwritten words had long since ceased to look like words. A restless night had become a gray, dreary morning. Raindrops continued to fall from the dull sky, but not with the intensity of the previous night. Instead, they were now little more than a persistent mist, an annoyance more than anything else.

A damp chill hung in the air. Serena sat upright in her bed with the comforter draped over her shoulders and wrapped fully around herself. She suspected that the rain would be snow if it were any colder outside. She wondered if the rest of the house was as cold as her room, or if perhaps the heat to her room had been cut off as punishment.

She was not alone. Not entirely, anyway. There had not been so much as a knock at the door nor even any footsteps past it since Ash's departure the night before. In the absence of human company, Serena had turned to her Pokémon instead. Pancham rested in her lap, evidently more motivated by his desire to stay warm than his desire to appear cool. Sylveon sat curled up beside her, nestled against her leg. Delphox, meanwhile, sat in her typical mediation pose in her preferred corner on the far side of the room.

The emptiness was suffocating. Not long ago, the room had been so full. Gone were the stacks of overflowing boxes towering above and the tangled mess of cables below. So painfully visible in the now-empty room was the other bed, both of its previous occupants now gone. Once upon a time, Aria's Delphox had sat opposite where Delphox sat now, participating in some kind of incomprehensible training session. There was nothing there anymore. Not even dust.

The paper which Serena held in her hands may as well have been blank. It was impossible for her to read it anymore. She had long since lost count of how many times she had run her eyes over the page, both front and back. Beside her on the bed sat a battered envelope, torn open so roughly that the large, red _RETURN TO SENDER _stamp on the front of it was partially severed. She vividly remembered staying up late into the night, writing the words on the page in secret. She had meant every single one of them. It somehow felt like it was just yesterday and also a lifetime away at the same time.

Once, the letter had represented hope. A new beginning. A new chapter of her life. A chance to make things right. Now, it left her feeling hollow. Empty. Vacant. Dead. It was the physical manifestation of yelling into the void. Words unheard, prayers unanswered, a message with no receiver. It was a dream of a past that never happened and a future that never would.

Serena didn't cry. She didn't feel sad, or angry, or embarrassed, or much of anything at all. Mostly, she felt nothing. Completely blank, she sat there hopelessly adrift inside her own mind. She didn't move. She didn't think. She barely even breathed as time passed in desolate silence.

And then, she flinched in surprise as she felt the paper in her hands tug against her grip. Startled, Serena straightened up and blinked several times, shaking the haze from her eyes. When her eyes slid back into focus, she did not find a hand trying to pull the letter away from her. Instead, she found a different sort of appendage.

Sylveon gripped the top of the page with the end of one of her feelers. Her glassy eyes filled with worry, she gazed up at Serena, on the verge of whimpering. As Serena slowly came back to reality, she realized that all of Sylveon's feelers were occupied in some manner. One was trying to pull the letter away from her. Another was rubbing the back of her hand, urging her to let go. The other two rubbed her arm and the back of her neck.

For the first time in longer than she could recall, Serena remembered that Ribombee was not the only Pokémon capable of sensing her emotions. She slumped her shoulders. Before she could say anything or even begin to relinquish the letter to Sylveon, Pancham jumped up from her lap and snatched it away.

"Hey!"

After hours of absolutely nothing, everything happened at once. Pancham leaped from the bed and landed on the floor, letter in hand. Serena knew what was sure to come next. In a mere fraction of a second, the letter was certain to become nothing more than a crumpled wad of paper. She flung the covers away, extracting herself from the cocoon she had created. Sylveon cried in protest at both Serena and Pancham. Serena put one foot on the floor. Everything came to a halt.

With a twitch of her ears and a flick of her wrist, Delphox brandished her wand from what seemed like thin air. Her eyes snapped open, glowing indigo. Pancham froze in place. A moment later, the letter began to float away, rising gently into the air above his head. Serena placed her second foot on the ground, then rose from the bed and quickly retrieved the letter. Folding it once again along the existing creases, she stuffed it back into the tattered envelope, then placed the envelope back inside her bag. It was not until Serena zipped the bag shut that Delphox released Pancham.

Pancham shot a threatening glare at Delphox. Delphox's only response was to shut her eyes and tuck her wand away again.

"I get that you were worried about me, but there are better ways to show it, you know," Serena said with her arms folded, eyes squarely on Pancham.

Pancham slid his sunglasses over his eyes and folded his arms in kind.

"I probably should have put the letter down a long time ago," said Serena. "Really, I shouldn't have read it at all. I get that. I knew it wasn't a good idea. I just... felt like it was important for me to do it."

Pancham tilted his head.

"That... probably makes no sense, does it?" said Serena.

Pancham turned away and hopped up on the windowsill. Serena looked back at Sylveon. Sylveon held up the comforter with all four of her feelers as if trying to encourage Serena to put on a coat. Serena smiled sadly in return.

"I'm a disaster, aren't I?" she said. "You all are the ones taking care of _me."_

Serena accepted the comforter from Sylveon and draped it over her shoulders again. It was still warm. She closed her eyes and sighed.

"Thank you."

When she opened her eyes again, Serena wandered toward the center of the room. She expected Sylveon to reach out, grab her, and beckon her back to bed, but the touch she expected never came. Instead, the cold floorboards gently creaked as she moved further and further away, approaching the far side of the room.

She stopped. She stood in front of Delphox, an arm's length away. Trying not to make any noise, she lowered herself to the floor. Occupying the empty space, she sat down.

Everything was quiet. Serena was confident that Delphox was aware of her presence, but she received no response. Once the awkward moment had dragged on for long enough, Serena spoke.

"So, I guess this is it from now on."

Delphox opened her eyes. For a split-second, Serena expected to see them aglow, and for Delphox to push her away, to silence her, to end the would-be conversation before it began. Instead, Serena saw Delphox's eyes looking decidedly dark. There was no psychic light inside them. Instead, there was something that Serena couldn't quite explain. There was something _more. _Something _else. _It was hard to understand, because the longer she looked, the more it looked like nothing.

Serena broke eye contact and looked down at her lap.

"I... don't know what's going to happen now. I've screwed up worse than I ever have before. I'm not sure if anyone here wants me around anymore. It wouldn't surprise me if no one here ever wanted to talk to me again. I've... been a really bad friend."

It was almost imperceptible, but Serena sensed Delphox's attention on her sharpening.

"I've been a bad trainer, too. I've pretty much ignored you all while I was busy focusing on Aria. I know it's not much, but... I regret that. I wish I had made a better decision."

Serena looked up again, but only for a moment. It was hard to hold Delphox's unblinking gaze.

"I don't know what to do. I don't think that Ash, Aria, or Lillie want anything to do with me anymore. Meyer probably isn't going to be happy when he finds out that Aria and I were more than just roommates. Clemont and Bonnie... well, I really don't know what they're going to think about all of this."

Serena shook her head.

"And Ribombee has been glued to Lillie since she arrived. I'm not sure if she's, uh, _on our team_ anymore. I mean, I think she's technically Lillie's Pokémon? I don't even know anymore."

Without looking, even from a distance Serena felt Sylveon's heart sink.

"So, yeah. I think it may be just us, now. Just the four of us, I mean."

Once again, Serena tried to meet Delphox's eyes and found it too difficult to hold her gaze. Again, there was definitely, tangibly something _more _behind Delphox's eyes. Serena's head throbbed, and she averted her eyes. There was a message in Delphox's expression that was perfectly clear to Serena – how _wrong _Delphox thought she was. Wrong about _what _remained another question, though.

For the umpteenth time, the thought crossed Serena's mind that Delphox knew something that she did not. With a grimace, she rubbed her forehead and then spoke.

"Delphox, do you-?"

The door opened. Serena stopped mid-sentence and turned her head, along with everyone else in the room.

Lillie poked her head through the opening. She looked around, seemingly afraid to enter.

"Oh!" she said. "Am I interrupting something?"

Serena gave Lillie a strange look, uncertain what to think. More than anything, she could not even begin to imagine why Lillie was there.

"Um... not really?" said Serena.

"My apologies for the intrusion," said Lillie. "I didn't think I heard anything from outside, so I assumed it was safe for me to enter."

Serena wondered exactly how quietly she had been speaking. Lillie stood halfway hidden behind the door, with one foot inside the room. After a moment of awkward silence, Serena saw Clefairy peek her eyes out from behind Lillie's leg.

"May we come in?" said Lillie.

"Yes," said Serena. She nodded, then rose to her feet.

Lillie stepped through the doorway and fully entered the room, Clefairy in tow behind her. To Serena's surprise, she closed the door.

A strange standoff ensued. Serena wasn't sure what was more bizarre – the she was wearing her comforter like some kind of cape, or that Lillie had a bag over her shoulder and did not seem to be in a hurry to leave.

"-but... why?" said Serena.

Lillie looked confused.

"I'm not sure I understand your question," she said.

"Why are you here?" said Serena. "Why would you _want _to come in here?"

Lillie blinked several times before responding.

"Do you not want me in here at the moment?" she said. "I can leave and come back if another time would work better."

"No," said Serena. As soon as the word left her mouth, she scrambled to put it back in, then stumbled over her words when she realized she couldn't. "I mean, no, it's not _that! _I just- I don't understand why you're here!"

Lillie frowned, and she looked at her feet for a moment before looking up again.

"I have a few reasons for being here," she said. "I must admit, though, that I am also rather confused. I thought you would be much more eager to have company after the events of last night, and after being up here alone for so long."

"I can't believe that you would _want _to be anywhere near me."

Lillie bit down on the interior of her lip for a moment.

"I think _want _may not be the best word to describe the situation."

"Then _please _tell me what's going on."

"Well, there are a few things happening at the moment," said Lillie. "I'm here in part because of my concern for you, but I'm also here in part because it has been agreed upon that this room is to become my temporary residence."

Serena's eyes widened.

"Wait, _what?"_

"Aria has made it clear that she prefers to remain on the sofa downstairs for the time being, so that leaves me with the choice of either a sleeping bag on the floor in Bonnie's room or a proper bed in this room. Forgive me, but I made what seems like the obvious choice, albeit a selfish one."

Serena stared at Lillie.

"You do realize that this is my room, too, don't you?" she said.

"Yes, I do," said Lillie. "That does not deter me."

"How can you possibly want to room with me ever again?"

"Because despite everything, I would prefer to believe that people can change for the better."

Serena hesitated for a moment. Unsure what to think, her lips parted and her eyes narrowed. She shook her head.

"How can you think that about me?" she said. "I changed for the worse."

"I've seen people far more heartless than you change for the better," said Lillie. "It's never too late."

"It's too late for me."

Lillie's frown tightened. Her next words came more forcefully than before.

"I can assure you that it is not."

"I can't undo what I've done!" said Serena.

"No one can undo anything they've done," said Lillie. "That doesn't mean the story of your life is over, though! Your story is still being written, and whether or not you realize it, you're the one who's writing it."

Serena recalled her final night on the beach in Alola, and the many bizarre things she had said about feeling like a side character in her own story, and about not being in control of her life. She had a distinct feeling that Lillie's words had a deeper meaning.

"I'm a pretty bad author, then," Serena grumbled, folding her arms and looking away. From the corner of her eye, she saw Lillie's shoulders sink.

"I don't want to overdo it with this metaphor, but the reason that your story keeps turning out the same way every time is because you keep writing it that way, so to speak. You think so lowly of yourself and you continue insisting that you are a bad person who deserves to be hated by the world, and so your actions mirror your thoughts."

"I never _thought _about breaking into your diary or cheating on Ash!"

"I'm certain that's true, but that's not quite what I mean."

"Do you really think I wanted any of this to happen? I've been trying as hard as I can to prevent it!"

"I know that you did not intend to hurt anyone else," said Lillie. "You care very deeply for a lot of people, and there are many people who care deeply for you. The reason you've hurt those people is not because you wanted to hurt them directly. You hurt them indirectly by hurting _yourself _first."

Serena stared at Lillie, unable to think of any way to respond. Lillie continued.

"Maybe this is too personal a question for me to ask," Lillie said, shifting awkwardly in place. She glanced at her feet for a moment and tightly folded her hands together. "I only ask because... well, I understand exactly what it feels like. Do you... hate yourself?"

"Yes."

Serena could not believe how quickly the word left her mouth. She said it reflexively, without a single thought or an instant of hesitation. Her eyes widened and she looked down at herself almost as if expecting to find some culprit who had tricked her into saying it. The only culprit she found was herself.

"It's a self-fulfilling prophecy," said Lillie. She shook her head with a forlorn smile on her lips. "We defeat ourselves before the battle is ever fought. We believe something about ourselves, and whether or not that belief is originally true, we make it true."

Serena's head and shoulders sank.

"How am I supposed to stop it?" she said. "I can't change what I feel."

"Not directly, anyway," said Lillie. "You can change your actions, though. You can think about things differently, and you can make different choices. You have more power than you realize."

Serena glanced up at Lillie again and saw the same bittersweet look lingering on her face and in her eyes. The smile on Lillie's face was somehow blatantly false and completely honest at the same time. It expressed not happiness, but something else. The longer Serena looked, the more she was struck by how much Lillie had changed.

There was no doubt who was responsible for that.

"Did Ash tell you that?" said Serena.

"Not as succinctly, but yes," said Lillie. "He helped me understand a lot of things about myself, and about others."

Serena looked out the window.

"I'm glad he could help you," she said. "I knew how much you needed him. That's why I had to leave. One of the reasons, anyway."

"If there were no additional context to your decision to leave so that he could help me to his fullest potential, it would be one of the kindest things anyone has ever done for me."

"That's... sad."

"I don't think so," said Lillie. "I prefer not to think of it that way. I would rather not dwell on the bad when I see so much good around me."

Serena scoffed.

"What good do you see here?" she said.

"Quite a lot, actually," said Lillie. "It's easy for me to say this since I have such a different perspective on everything, but it would be more obvious to you if you could view all of this through a different lens, so to speak."

"You mean, if I could put myself in someone else's shoes?"

"That's another way of saying it."

"I'm _trying _to do that, and it's not working!"

"What do you mean?"

"I don't understand what anyone else is thinking!" said Serena. "How can you stand to be around me? First, I violated your privacy and destroyed your most treasured personal belonging because of my insecurity and my fear that you would take Ash from me. Then, he rejected your advances because he was still committed to me, but when you arrived here it turned out that his commitment to me was for nothing because I had given up on him and was with somebody else! Why would you _ever_ want to talk to me again?"

"The situation isn't that simple," said Lillie. "You lost faith in Ash because somebody interfered with his communication with you and made it look like he had abandoned you. I don't know who, but somebody deceived you."

"That doesn't make what I did okay!"

"I didn't say it did," said Lillie. She shook her head.

"Ash didn't lose faith in me, and he _never_ heard a word from me!"

"I think you know firsthand that it can be very difficult to change Ash's mind once he's made a decision."

Serena rolled her eyes.

"Well, yeah," she said. "That's not the point, though. We made a promise, and I broke it. He didn't give up, and I did."

"True as that may be, it does not mean that your story is over," said Lillie. "There is more for you to write. This isn't the end."

"It feels like the end."

"It doesn't have to feel that way."

"How could it not feel that way? I ruined everything, _again!"_

"You can't mend a broken promise, but you can make new ones."

Serena looked at Lillie again with a very flat expression.

"Why would anyone believe me when I promise them anything?"

"I would believe you."

Serena's face contorted in frustration and disbelief.

"Why?" she said. "Why would you _ever _believe me again? Why are you even here? You never answered me!"

"You mean, aside from becoming your roommate again?"

"Yes, but-"

Serena held out her hands, palms up, grasping at air.

"Just... _why?"_

"Everyone deserves to have someone who supports them."

"I don't deserve your support!"

"That is for me to decide."

Lillie's reply was terse. Serena went silent.

"It is impossible to go through life without getting hurt," said Lillie. "We can choose to carry the weight of that pain with us forever, or we can choose to let go of that burden and forgive. We can choose to dwell on our misfortunes, or we can choose to appreciate the good that those misfortunes eventually create. We can choose to hate, or we can choose to love. I have made my choice. You will not change my mind."

Serena stared at her feet. After a few seconds of silence, Sylveon came up to her and rubbed against her leg, then wrapped her feelers around her leg in something like a hug.

"To answer your question in full, I am here because I want to support my _friends," _said Lillie.

Serena bit her lip. She did not look up. She whispered.

"Does that include... _me?"_

Lillie nodded.

"I forgave my mother. Forgiving you is very easy in comparison."

Emotion welled up in Serena's throat, but no tears came. She supposed she really had none left. Instead, heat washed over her face. She continued to stare at the floor.

"Thank you, but... I don't deserve it," she said.

"If that is how you feel, then you can change it," said Lillie. "It's not too late. You can choose to make things different. You can make different choices. You can make yourself feel worthy of deserving it."

Serena closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath.

"I hope I can," she said.

Her eyes jolted open again when she felt Lillie wrap her arms around her.

"I _know _you can."

Serena returned the embrace. It did not last for long, only a few seconds longer. When they separated, Lillie folded her hands in front of herself and smiled at Serena once again. Before she spoke, she broke eye contact and looked away.

"I... spent a lot of time last night with Aria," said Lillie. "She needed some support, and truthfully, so did I."

Serena grimaced.

"I'm sorry."

Lillie ignored Serena's would-be apology and paused for a moment before speaking again.

"She explained a great deal about what has been happening here while Ash and I were on our journey in Alola," said Lillie. "As bizarre as her situation is, I have to admit that I feel a great deal of sympathy for her. She and I have a lot in common, actually. We both know what it is like to be held prisoner by the person who is supposed to be responsible for taking care of you, for one."

Serena tightened her lips. She nodded.

"She also told me that you rescued her," said Lillie. "She said that you have done so much to try to help her feel included and to make her life better while she is stuck here."

"Well, yes," Serena said, barely audible. "I did."

Lillie's smile changed. One corner of her mouth raised just a bit higher than the other, looking ever so slightly sly. She seemed almost amused.

"She even said that you came up with a plan to protect her so you could take her out for her birthday, and that you had a surprise birthday cake waiting for her when you returned."

Serena blushed.

"I did."

"Even after what has happened between you two, you still want to help her, don't you?"

Serena nodded.

"Yes, I do."

Although the hints of mischief had faded, Lillie's smile persisted.

"There is no way a person could ever care so much for someone else and be a bad person themselves," said Lillie.

"I want to believe you," said Serena.

* * *

Serena supposed it was to be expected after staring into space for hours, but she completely lost her sense of time. Her typical morning routine in the bathroom was an exercise in futility. She was so disoriented that it took twice as long as usual. When she got dressed again afterward, even getting her shoes on the correct feet was an ordeal. Everything felt so strange. By the time she went downstairs to the kitchen to get something to eat, it was already mid-afternoon.

Much to her chagrin, she did not have the kitchen to herself. She stopped on the bottom step when she realized she was not alone. Ash sat in a chair pulled out beside the kitchen table. He slouched in his seat, leaning back with his feet propped up on the windowsill. Pikachu sat in his lap. In silence, he gazed out the window and stroked the fur behind Pikachu's ears.

Serena's final footstep at the bottom of the stairs seemed to alert him. He straightened up and turned his head. Inwardly, Serena winced. She did not want to be seen, least of all by him.

But he saw her. There was a mere moment of recognition, the briefest contact with the corner of his eye. He instantly looked away.

"Oh, hey."

Serena's stomach sank. Ash's greeting was completely flat.

"Hey."

Proceeding on her tiptoes, Serena took a few silent steps into the room. Regardless of how quiet she thought she was, she knew it wasn't enough to hide her entrance. In Ash's lap, Pikachu's ears twitched. He opened his eyes and sat up, then peeked over Ash's shoulder. The instant he saw Serena, he beamed with excitement and hopped down from the chair, then bounded across the kitchen and jumped up into her arms. He squealed with delight as he snuggled tightly against her.

"And hello to you, too, Pikachu," said Serena.

She knew better than to say it out loud, but she wanted to add that it was nice to see someone who was actually happy to see her. She suspected that Pikachu's excitement was entirely because he didn't understand what had happened, even if Ash had explained it to him. She figured that human relationships probably made as little sense to Pokémon as Pokémon relationships meant to humans. She certainly had never understood what was going on between Delphox and Greninja. They weren't even supposed to be genetically compatible. She knew. She had checked.

Strange Pokémon drama aside, Serena was grateful to feel something familiar, if only for a moment. Pikachu's boundless joy was like a flashback to another time in living, breathing form, like a fond old memory she could hold in her arms.

Ash set his feet down on the floor again and turned in his chair to face the two of them. This time, he did not look away. Serena knew he wasn't looking directly at her, though. His eyes hovered just below hers. He was looking at Pikachu. The look on his face said everything. It spoke words that Ash could never say, a nostalgic smile of sadness. It made Serena's heart ache.

Several seconds passed in uncomfortable silence. Desperate not to address the obvious topic looming over them, Serena spoke.

"I didn't get the chance yesterday, but I want to congratulate you two," she said. She looked down at Pikachu. It was so much easier.

Curious, Pikachu peered up at her. In the periphery of her vision, Serena saw Ash's eyes shift.

"Congratulations on becoming champions," she said. "I'm really happy for you guys."

Serena shifted her own gaze upward and met Ash's eyes, at last. The connection lasted long enough for Ash to raise a hand to the back of his neck.

"Thanks," he said. He rubbed the back of his neck like he always did. He looked away bashfully like he never had before.

"I know you worked really hard to get there," said Serena. "You earned it. Really, you deserved it."

"It wasn't that hard," Ash said, half-shrugging. "All I had to do was beat the Elite Four and then Professor Kukui, and I already beat three of them bef-"

_"Professor Kukui?"_

Serena interrupted Ash mid-sentence, her face scrunched up in confusion. Ash knowingly glanced at her and nodded.

"Yeah," he said. "Turns out he wasn't really faking it as a wrestler. He's super strong."

It took Serena's brain several seconds to reboot after encountering such an egregious error. Having lived with him, her recollection of Professor Kukui consisted primarily of a man who was barely capable of dressing and feeding himself, with a flagrant disregard for his own safety and an apparent vendetta against his personal property.

But then again, he somehow convinced Professor Burnet to marry him. Human relationships didn't make much sense, either.

"He was tough, but I kinda knew we were gonna win," said Ash. "His Incineroar was really strong, but he couldn't beat Greninja and me."

"Can anyone?"

"I dunno," said Ash. "When we're in sync, it feels like we can't lose. I knew that all I had to do to win was make sure Greninja was ready to go against Incineroar. I did, and we won."

Ash shrugged again. He looked and sounded unimpressed with himself.

The phrase that came to mind for Serena was that she wished she had been there to see it. Given the circumstances, it didn't seem like the right thing to say. She dug deeper for something else, anything to keep the conversation going.

"Did you use some of your old Pokémon?" said Serena. "As strong as they are, I'm sure that would have made it easy."

There was a faint flicker of light in Ash's eyes. _Pok_é_mon._ That was the key. Ash would talk about Pokémon all day, any day, with anyone.

"I did while I was doing the Island Challenge, at least until I caught enough new Pokémon to fill out my team," said Ash. "It made everything way too easy at first, though. It wasn't even fair."

Ash rubbed a hand over his head and laughed nervously.

"I actually made one of the trial captains cry," he said.

"Really?"

"Yeah, Sophocles," said Ash. "His trial was on top of Mount Hokulani and I had Charizard with me so we could fly up and down the mountain, and Charizard blew his totem Pokémon away in one hit. Lillie made me apologize."

Serena's eyes narrowed.

_"Sophocles?" _she said.

"Yeah," Ash said with a nod. "Weird guy."

"I bet," said Serena. She couldn't imagine what the guy's parents had been thinking.

"I tried to stick to my newer Pokémon as much as I could after that," said Ash. "It wasn't as fast, but it was more fun that way."

"How many new Pokémon did you catch?"

"Only four. That was all I needed since Pikachu and Greninja were always with me."

"Did you bring them all here with you?"

"Yeah," said Ash. "I guess you haven't had a chance to meet them yet, huh?"

"No, not really."

"Yeah."

An awkward silence ensued. The silence was broken by an unexpected sound. No one spoke. Instead, the ice dispenser on the refrigerator spontaneously started and dumped several ice cubes onto the floor.

"Hey!" said Ash. "I told you there's no food in there for you!"

"Huh?"

Serena looked back and forth between Ash and the refrigerator several times. Unless she was mistaken, Ash had just scolded the refrigerator itself.

"Food for who?" said Serena. "Is one of your Pokémon... _in there?"_

"No," said Ash. "You just can't see him."

"Can't see him?" said Serena. "See who?"

The ice dispenser went off again. More cubes fell to the floor and cracked on the tiles, scattering everywhere.

"Decidueye, stop that!" said Ash. "Show yourself so Serena can see you."

"De... what?"

Serena's confusion was quickly replaced by a prickling feeling as the hair on the back of her neck stood on end, the result of the unmistakable feeling of being watched from behind. Before Serena could turn around and look, she jumped in fright as she heard a single, low hoot in her ear.

Clutching her hands to her chest, Serena spun around and backed away several steps. She was confronted with the transparent image of a cloaked, hooded figure. Slowly, the figure became more and more opaque until she could not see through it anymore. It was beaked, and as tall as she was. She was uncertain if the cloak and hood it wore were made of feathers, leaves, or some combination of both, nor whether or not it was artificial or an actual part of its body.

What struck her, though, was the look in the figure's eyes. It was eerily familiar.

"Is this one of your new Pokémon?" said Serena.

"Yeah, but you've met before," said Ash.

"We have?" said Serena. "Because I don't remember ever meeting any Pokémon like this one."

"Last time you two met, this was Rowlet."

_"Rowlet?"_

"He's Decidueye now."

Serena could not comprehend how much Rowlet had changed, let alone the utter mess of a word that was his new name. Before she could even begin to take it all in, Decidueye faded again, then vanished.

"Not again," Ash grumbled. "Serena doesn't like that, you know!"

Serena connected the dots in her head.

"You mean, he became..."

"A ghost type," said Ash, finishing her sentence.

Serena stiffened. She bit down on her lower lip.

"Really?" she said.

Decidueye answered the question on his own when he reappeared out of thin air only a few inches away from her, his back facing toward her. He then turned his head fully around toward her and winked.

Serena shivered. She tried to smile at him, but it came out as a toothy, nervous, strained mess. Decidueye seemed to chuckle silently to himself, then hooted and turned his head back around. Then, he turned transparent again and walked _through _the refrigerator door.

"You know that won't work!" said Ash. "You'll break the refrigerator if you materialize in there!"

A muffled hoot came from inside the refrigerator. Pikachu jumped down from Serena's arms as she wrapped her arms around herself. She felt cold.

"Why did he have to become a ghost type?" she muttered.

Ash laughed.

"Yeah, that was one thing I knew you wouldn't like," he said.

Serena shot a sharp glare at him.

"Don't tell me you caught a Pyukumuku, too," she said.

"Ha! No, I didn't," he said. "I promise."

Serena let out a puff of air in relief.

"Good. Let's keep it that way."

At the mere thought of Pyukumuku, Serena realized her hunger had disappeared. It had been replaced with nausea.

"You wanna meet everyone else?" said Ash.

Serena paused. There was genuine excitement in Ash's eyes. She knew it wasn't intentional, but it pierced her like an ice pick. It was yet another reminder of everything they were avoiding, and how wrong everything was. She drew in a shaky breath.

"Ash..."

Ash was halfway toward reaching for the Poké Balls clipped to his belt when he froze.

"What's up?" he said.

"We can't keep doing this."

Ash didn't respond. He tightened his lips and looked down.

In silence, Serena's heart thundered. She reached for her collar and found nothing there. No ribbon, no scarf. She swallowed.

"I- ...I don't know what to say," said Serena. "I mean it. I honestly have no idea what to say to you. I messed up worse than I ever have before. I broke our promise. I hurt you, and a lot of other people. I don't know what I can do to make things better. I don't even know if it's possible. I want to tell you that I'm sorry, but it feels... dumb. It's not enough. I don't know how I could ever apologize enough for what I've done. I think... I really may have ruined everything. Forever."

Ash folded his hands behind his neck and looked up at the ceiling while he drew in a long breath through his nose.

"I dunno," he said. "I just... still kinda can't believe it, you know?"

Serena frowned.

"Believe me, I wish you didn't have to believe it," she said.

"Yeah, me too."

There was more silence. Neither of them looked at the other for a while.

"I dunno what to do, either," said Ash.

Several questions came to Serena's mind. Some of them felt particularly feeble and stupid. She almost wanted to gag at the thought of asking whether or not he was mad at her. There was a more pertinent question she could ask, though.

"Do you think you're going to stay here?" she said. "For now, at least?"

"I guess," said Ash.

"Lillie kind of moved into the spare bedroom with me," said Serena. "That's why I asked. I assumed you would, you know, be staying with her. Since you traveled here together and all."

"Yeah, but you guys kinda need me right now, don't you?"

"Hm?"

"You need me to help fight Palermo, right?"

"Um, yeah. Kind of."

"Kind of?"

"That was the plan, anyway," said Serena. "If you can call it one. We didn't really have much of a plan."

"Well, we can come up with one, can't we?" said Ash.

"Are you _really _willing to help Aria after what happened between me and her?"

Ash hesitated for a moment.

"Well, yeah," he said. "It's not her fault that Palermo tricked her. She doesn't deserve to be trapped forever."

"But-"

Serena stopped herself. There was so much on the tip of her tongue.

"What?" said Ash. "She needs help, right?"

"Well..."

_"Allow me to interject for a moment."_

Heads turned. Aria leaned against the doorframe at the entrance to the kitchen, her arms crossed. Upon being noticed, she stepped into the kitchen and approached the table, then stopped a few steps short.

"Aria!" said Serena.

"I don't mean to intrude, but it's difficult for me _not _to overhear from the living room," said Aria. "Frankly, I would prefer not to overhear."

Aria shifted her gaze, and her eyes landed squarely on Ash. Electricity shot down Serena's spine. Tension filled the air. Seeming uncertain, Ash looked up at Aria. He remained in his seat.

"I don't think we've been formally introduced," said Aria. "The blame for that is all mine, though. I haven't exactly made myself available since your arrival."

Ash made an awkward face and scratched the side of his neck.

"I didn't think you wanted to talk to me," he said.

Aria nodded and gave him an earnest look.

"To be honest with you, no, I don't," she said. "Unfortunately, I think it's necessary."

"Why?" said Ash.

"Because there is something I feel that I need to explain to you directly," said Aria. "Even with our circumstances being what they are, I think it would be better if I explained this to you myself rather than rely on others to do it for me."

"Explain what?"

"Well, I suppose an explanation is a part of it, but it's really more of a _request."_

"What is it?"

"To put it simply, as strange as this may sound to you, I would like you to refrain from helping me."

Ash tilted his head.

"Huh?"

"I know that probably sounds strange, but I'm serious," said Aria. "Please, do not intervene with Palermo on my behalf. I would much prefer it if you did not involve yourself in the situation in any way."

Ash squinted at Aria, clearly unsure what to think. Serena held her breath. Somehow, the explosion she anticipated hadn't come. Aria was stern, but not angry. Not visibly, anyway. She was completely calm, the perfect picture of composure.

"Well... man, that's weird," said Ash. "Okay, I guess?"

"I would appreciate it very much," said Aria.

Ash looked at Serena, then looked back at Aria.

"I mean, I don't get it," he said. "I thought that you all needed me to help fight Palermo because she's secretly really strong."

"You're correct that she is more powerful than she appears," said Aria. "In terms of raw power, you are the only trainer amongst us who is capable of facing her. The trouble is that I know her well, and I have serious doubts that brute force alone will be sufficient to defeat her."

"What do you mean?" said Ash.

Serena saw Aria's eyebrows momentarily flicker upward, a telltale sign that she was resisting the urge to roll her eyes.

"I admit that I don't know you very well," said Aria, "but I don't think you have ever had to deal with an adversary like Palermo. She plans so far ahead and accounts for so many possibilities that it's impossible to catch her by surprise, let alone understand what she's doing. There is simply no way that she isn't aware that you are a stronger trainer than her, and she has definitely already accounted for that, somehow."

"How?" said Ash.

"How could we know?" said Aria. "We have no way of knowing. What we do know is that she plans _everything. _She manipulates _everyone._ She's protected on more levels than you can imagine. Everyone in Kalos loves her. Society itself is against us."

Ash shrugged.

"That sounds kinda like Lillie's mom," he said.

Aria seemed to bristle at the suggestion. Her brow tightened for a moment.

"Lillie shared some of the details about her mother with me, and while I agree that there are some similarities, Palermo would never risk being so blatantly corrupt. Lusamine escaped justice for so long because she hid her villainy on a private island. Palermo hides hers in plain sight."

"So, what are you gonna do?" said Ash.

"I genuinely do not know," said Aria. "However, that is none of your concern."

"But... I _am _concerned about it," said Ash.

"Please, don't be."

"My friends are in danger!"

"They will be in more danger if you involve yourself. Palermo despises using force, but she will use it if pushed. Korrina nearly lost her Lucario because of it."

"I'm not just going to sit here and let her hurt people!"

"Again, more people are going to be hurt if you involve yourself."

"That doesn't make sense!"

"It only fails to make sense to you because you're so used to being the hero at all times that you can't imagine yourself doing anything else."

"I-"

Ash faltered. Aria's expression had tightened. She hung her head low for a moment, exhaled deeply through her nose, then looked back up at Ash.

"I don't want to yell at you," said Aria. "I'm tired of fighting. All I ask is that you please honor my one request, because the only thing Palermo hasn't taken from me is my dignity. I implore you to please allow me the dignity of deciding my own fate, no matter what it may be."

Aria stared gravely at Ash. He seemed to wither as he bowed his head and looked at the floor.

"Well... alright," he said.

"Thank you," said Aria.

At that, Aria turned and proceeded across the room to the door from which she entered. Serena extended a hand in her direction as if trying to reach out to her, but she did not move from her spot. Clumsily, she called out to her, the words tumbling out of her mouth.

"Aria, wait!"

Aria did not wait. She disappeared around the corner without another word.

Once Aria's footsteps dissipated, Ash shook his head. He rose to his feet.

"Ash?"

"I'm gonna go for a walk," he said. Without looking at her, he took his jacket from the back of the chair and slipped his arms into it, then zipped it up.

As Serena watched, she was struck once again by the irony that the colors of their outfits matched.

Ash passed her and exited the kitchen in the opposite direction heading for the front door. Pikachu ran after him. He looked back at Serena for a moment, then ran again at the sound of Ash opening the front door.

Serena stood there alone. She hung her head.

"Now what?" she muttered.

The refrigerator hooted.


	13. At Wit's End

Chapter Thirteen – At Wit's End

The days that followed were strange. The house had never before been so full of people, yet it had never been so lonely. Serena pictured it like everyone was a piece from a different puzzle, and there was no way to fit all of the pieces together at once. Some combinations worked, but others were impossible. The days before Korrina's departure and Ash and Lillie's arrival seemed like they were a world away. There were no more attempts to cram everyone inside a pillow fort for a game or a movie marathon.

The absence of pillow forts was in part because Aria had appropriated the living room as her makeshift bedroom, but more so because it was impossible for everyone to amicably gather in the same space. Serena's attempts to hold a conversation with Ash were all strained and superficial at best, inevitably going nowhere. Aria, on the other hand, seemed to be interested in speaking to only one person in the house – Lillie.

Being Lillie's roommate proved to be far easier than before, mostly because Lillie returned to the room only to sleep. Otherwise, she spent almost all of her time elsewhere, and much of it with Aria. Serena wasn't sure why she was so surprised by it, because it made perfect sense in hindsight that Aria and Lillie would quickly become friends. They both understood the other's experience with abuse all too well.

For Serena, the unfortunate side effect of Aria and Lillie spending so much time together was that it typically resulted in her spending her time alone. Since he wasn't welcome with Aria, Ash spent most of his time with Clemont and Bonnie. Serena's awkwardness with Ash made it difficult for her to join in, and so after a few failed attempts, she stopped trying to insert herself. It wasn't worth the effort.

Effectively alone in a crowd, Serena was stunned by her sudden abundance of free time. For the first time since she had arrived in Lumiose City, there was nothing for her to do. The first couple of days after realizing her situation were some of the longest and most boring she had ever experienced. Unsure what to do with herself, the seconds on the clock did not tick so much as drip like globs of tar oozing from a funnel. Never before had she been so acutely aware of how much time she had, nor felt less compulsion to do anything with it.

As the days went on, even though she didn't realize it, everything began to change. In the absence of any particular reason to hurry home in the evening, the clock at work became less of a director of her day and more of a mild suggestion. It was much nicer to while away her evenings lost in her work in relative peace than to throw herself back into the awkwardness that awaited her at home. The first two nights she stayed late, Meyer assured her that it was perfectly fine if she went home for the evening and that he had managed on his own late into the night many times. On the third night, he said nothing.

In the absence of human company, Serena had taken to the company of her Pokémon instead. Although before she had only trusted Delphox to understand what to do, after a couple of days of practice with Sylveon and Pancham, the four of them had combined to form something that resembled an assembly line in both form and efficiency. Pancham's boundless energy and knack for climbing and digging through the stacks of boxes made him outstanding at searching for and retrieving parts, and Sylveon's talent for multitasking with all four of her feelers made her almost as adept at manipulating parts as Delphox was with her psychic abilities.

By the end of the first week, Serena had noticed more than once that Ampharos had stopped whatever he was doing in the back room to marvel at the scene for a moment. As the second week of relentless efficiency ensued, she noticed something else – the insurmountable clutter in the shop was beginning to vanish. Teetering towers of overflowing boxes were exchanged for orderly stacks of neat, labeled ones. The floor opened up, the labyrinth of cables replaced with empty space. For the first time since she arrived, Serena thought it was actually possible for the building to pass a fire safety inspection. At least, whenever Meyer wasn't inadvertently setting something on fire in the back room.

One particularly quiet evening, Serena gazed out the front window for a moment and noticed a flickering light. Curious, she left her usual spot on the assembly line and stepped out the front door. The bell rang as she opened it, the ding reverberating in the near-silence, ringing in her ears after the hours and hours of forgettable, droning static from Meyer's radio. A gust of wind greeted her as she opened the door. It pushed back against her, and she leaned her body weight into the door to open it. The door eagerly shut behind her, pushed by the wind.

The street was empty and dark, only illuminated by the streetlights and the few lights in the windows of the surrounding buildings. The flickering light continued, causing her faint shadow to dance beneath her feet on the sidewalk. It seemed to come from above. After looking both ways and confirming that there were no cars anywhere in sight, Serena stepped out into the street and then turned around.

The flickering light came from Meyer's sign. It was the first time Serena had paid any attention to it since the day she arrived. A few more letters in the sign had since burnt out. Ignoring the spaces between the darkened letters, the sign now read _Me Eecronc. _The flickering light came from the capital _E, _soon to be the next light to fade.

In the wind, Serena squinted at the sign for a moment longer before tightly folding her arms, then hurrying back across the street with her head down. The cold wind stung her eyes. Despite the sentimental issues with it, she cursed herself for not wearing her scarf. She needed it more than ever.

When she slipped through the front door, she quickly pulled it shut behind her, trying to keep the cold air from following her inside. Once inside, she shivered and rubbed her hands on her arms, trying to warm herself with the friction.

"I was already surprised to have a customer come in so late, but now I'm even more confused."

Serena looked up and saw Meyer peeking out from the back room, cleaning his hands on a rag as he stood in the doorframe. After a couple of seconds of failing to understand what he meant, she realized he must have heard the bell.

"Oh. It's your sign," Serena said, pointing over her shoulder out toward the street. "I saw the flickering light and I went out to see what it was."

"Another letter burning out, I assume?" said Meyer.

"Yes," said Serena. She nodded, then folded her arms tightly again for warmth. "The big _E."_

"Hmm, I see," said Meyer. He tucked the rag back into one of his many pockets and then entered the front room. "Not a lot of letters left, are there?"

"No."

"Well, that's a shame."

Serena didn't say anything. Meyer walked around the counter and approached the front window. He stopped beside her, then jammed his hands into his back pockets and stared out the window, a wistful look on his face.

"You know, I could have sworn I picked up some new bulbs for the sign," he said. "They should be _somewhere _in here."

Serena gave Meyer a doubtful look.

"You've got about a million light bulbs in here," she said.

Meyer laughed.

"I'm sure I do!" he said. "I lost track of them, just like everything else."

Serena looked over her shoulder. Pancham, Sylveon, and Delphox continued their work. Ampharos stood in the door to the back room, clearly confused by Meyer's absence.

"You know, it's a lot more organized in here now," said Serena. "If you wanted to, maybe we would be able to find them."

"Ah, I'm not worried," said Meyer. "It's just another expense not worth fixing."

"Don't you think you would get more customers if the sign worked?"

"Not enough to keep this place afloat. I can barely keep the lights on in this place as it is."

Serena gave Meyer an inquisitive look. As much as she wanted to, she did not dare ask the question on the tip of her tongue. She knew better than to inquire about money. Discussing it had already gotten her in enough trouble for a lifetime.

"You've been doing a remarkable job these past couple of weeks," said Meyer. "I have to say, though, I feel a bit like I'm exploiting you. Normally, someone who works as hard as you have should get a raise! I won't be able to give you one, though."

"You don't need to," said Serena. She looked out the front window again and shook her head. "I don't really have anything better to do anymore."

"Nonsense," said Meyer. "You're young. You've got your whole life ahead of you. There's no reason you should be spending all of your time here, working alone."

"I wish I knew what else I could do," said Serena. "If you haven't noticed, I've kind of messed everything up with pretty much everyone. No one wants to be around me anymore."

Meyer withdrew a hand from one of his back pockets, scratched his cheek, then placed it back in his pocket.

"You kids sure do have yourselves in a tough situation," he said. "I don't envy you all."

Serena bit her lip for a moment before she asked her next question.

"Do you... know about everything that's happened?" she said.

Meyer smiled.

"Of course I do," he said. "What kind of parent would I be if I didn't?"

"Um..."

"Don't answer that, please," said Meyer. He laughed to himself.

Serena narrowed her eyes. She didn't understand his reaction.

"Aren't you mad?" she said.

"About what?"

"About all the things I've done."

"Why would I be mad about any of that?"

"I... _cheated _on my boyfriend with the girl who was sharing a room with me!"

Meyer nodded.

"I know," he said.

Serena stared at him. She blinked a few times.

_"...and?" _she said.

"So what?" said Meyer.

"What do you mean _so what?"_

"Do you want me to lecture you or something?"

"No, not really."

"Good! Because I don't want to do that, either."

"Uh..."

"It doesn't seem to me like you need it," said Meyer. "It seems to me like you've done a good enough job of punishing yourself."

Serena tightened her lips and looked away. There it was again, the same thing everyone always said.

"Aren't you... _mad?"_ said Serena.

"I'm mad about the situation, but not at you," said Meyer. "How could I be? Everyone does stuff they regret when they're young. I know I sure did. Any adult who tells you they didn't is a liar. Honestly, you're ahead of the curve by realizing it now and trying to learn from your mistakes. It takes some people their whole lives to learn to admit that they were wrong."

Serena bit down on the inside of her lip. She thought of her mother.

"I'm mad at Palermo," said Meyer. "And all the people around her who are willfully blind to what she's doing, too. It's amazing what the temptation of money and the power of fame can do to some people."

Serena knew all too well what that temptation felt like.

"You kids don't deserve to have to fight someone like her on your own," said Meyer. "It really goes to show what kind of person she is that she would do what she's doing to people of your age. It's completely unfair. I wish there were more I could do to help you."

"Thank you, but I don't know what you could do," said Serena. "I don't even know what _we _can do."

"The truth is, if it were nearly anyone else, there would be a lot more I could do to help you."

"Hmm?"

Serena saw Meyer move, and she turned her head back toward him. Meyer reached into another pocket. Beneath the fabric, Serena saw him grip something. As soon as he touched it, from the corner of her eye Serena saw Delphox's eyes flash with indigo light. Gently, the parts that floated in the air around her floated down to the surface of the counter. She stood like a statue, her eyes trained on Meyer like lasers. Serena held her breath.

"I think your Delphox figured it out a long time ago," said Meyer. The corner of his mouth turned upward in a grin. He pulled his hand from his pocket. He held a Poké Ball beneath his fingers. "I think it's about time you knew, too."

Meyer pressed the button on the ball and tossed it over his shoulder. It burst open with a flash of light, and Serena spun around to see the form of a tall Pokémon materialize in the middle of the shop floor. Flames danced around it as it took form, then flared to life on its wrists.

It was a Blaziken. A pendant dangled from its neck, a glimmering gemstone embedded in it.

From the same pocket, Meyer withdrew another object. It was a golden ring, bearing a brilliant, multicolored stone. Serena's jaw dropped.

Blaziken's piercing eyes landed on Serena for only a moment before he turned and faced Delphox. The two of them locked eyes. Neither one moved.

"My secret identity, revealed at last!" said Meyer. He was almost laughing as he spoke. "I am none other than the mighty, mysterious vigilante known as _Blaziken Mask!_ Stunning, I'm sure."

"You-"

Serena stared at the ring which Meyer slipped onto his finger. It was unmistakable. A _Key Stone._

"You have a Pokémon that can use _mega evolution?" _said Serena. "And you've kept it secret this _whole time?"_

"Yes and yes," said Meyer. He flexed his hand and turned it over once or twice, examining the ring on his finger and then setting his hand back down at his side. "Unfortunately, every superhero has their weakness. Especially _fake _ones."

"You..."

Serena gazed, her mouth hanging open. She could not fathom what kind of exchange was taking place between Delphox and Blaziken, but one thing was certain. The raw power was tangible. Serena felt the energy sweep over her in waves, pulsing out from between the two. She was keenly, acutely aware of what she was witnessing – an encounter between two individuals both in possession of incredible power.

"Sadly, there hasn't been much that Blaziken and I can do," said Meyer.

Still agape, Serena looked at Meyer. He continued.

"I think you understand what I mean. You saw firsthand when you followed Korrina."

Serena thought for a moment. While she pondered, Meyer answered her unspoken question.

"Nearly any other Pokémon, Blaziken and I could win," he said. "Not Florges, though. Especially not one that's developed psychic powers like that."

Serena remembered it, Lucario's futile struggle against Florges' psychic hold, and the devastating damage he took from Moonblast. Not even mega evolution was enough to overcome it.

And in addition to mega evolution, there was something else that Lucario and Blaziken had in common.

A type disadvantage.

"We could train for a hundred years and we still might not be able to beat her," said Meyer. "It's kind of sad, but type advantages are the great equalizer in battles, after all."

Meyer gave Serena a sideways glance.

"There are a lot of things that happen in this city that we _can _stop," he said. "We can't stop Palermo's schemes, though. Not while she has Florges on her side. She'd wipe the floor with us."

Serena felt electricity in the air. She wasn't sure if it was the prickling on the back of her neck or the lingering cold air that made her shiver.

"Are you sure about that?" she said.

"Very," said Meyer. "As much as I wish I wasn't, it's important that I am. I know better than to throw myself at her. There are people who need me, after all."

Meyer extended his hand, and he pressed the button on Blaziken's Poké Ball. A beam of light shot from it, and Blaziken disappeared a moment later in a flash. Although nothing in the room stirred, Serena felt the energy fade all around like the settling of the wind after a passing gust. On the far side of the room, she watched as the indigo light faded from Delphox's eyes.

"Speaking of people who need us," said Meyer, "why don't we head home for the evening? This mess will still be here tomorrow. Or, what little is left of it, anyway."

Meyer shoved his hands in his pockets again and admired the front room. He nodded a few times.

"I mean it," he said. "You really have done good work."

Embarrassed for reasons she failed to understand, Serena bowed her head.

"Thank you," she said.

A few minutes later, they locked up for the night. As she had once before, Serena rode home with Meyer on the back of his motorbike. The whole way, she couldn't help but wonder why Meyer said there were people who needed _them. _There were people who needed _him. _There was no one who needed _her._

With her whole heart, she wished things were different.

* * *

Serena was shivering by the time she and Meyer arrived home. She wondered why she had been so foolish as to neglect purchasing a proper coat. No matter how thick her sweater was, it wasn't enough to prevent the freezing air from cutting right through her. She wondered if she would be able to get by without her scarf for any longer, or if she would have to confront the awkwardness and wear it anyway. She supposed that the red would at least stick out well enough in the landscape of frozen white that it would be easy for search and rescue teams to recover her after she had succumbed to hypothermia.

As soon as Meyer parked his bike, Serena eagerly hurried up the front steps. She opened the front door and was greeted by a billowing cloud of warmth. The heat seemed to embrace her and beckon her forward. She did not resist. Rather, she sighed in comfort as Meyer came in behind her and closed the door, shutting out the cold air for the night. With her eyes shut, she rubbed her hands together in an effort to restore some feeling to her icy fingers. She was so distracted by the warmth that it took her several seconds to notice something.

There were several excited voices coming from the kitchen, one of which she had not heard in a long time.

"Is that-"

Meyer did not manage to get the full sentence out of his mouth. Stopping himself halfway, he exchanged a brief glance with Serena before the two of them both hurried into the kitchen.

Upon their entry, the conversation stopped. Heads turned. Korrina jumped up from her seat.

"Hey!" she said. "About time you two showed up!"

Serena had no time to react. Korrina was halfway across the kitchen before she could even blink. Before she could even think, Korrina wrapped her up in a tight hug.

"I- ...Korrina?"

"Yep! It's me!"

It was Korrina, beyond a shadow of a doubt. She looked slightly different than the last time Serena had seen her. Much like Lillie, she had added some accessories to her outfit to make it more seasonally appropriate. She had replaced her usual black athletic shorts with full-length leggings, and she wore a white, baggy hoodie – currently unzipped – over her usual short dress. Serena barely had any time to take it all in before Meyer joined in and turned the embrace into a group hug.

"You okay?"

Serena didn't know what to make of Korrina's question until she looked up and saw Meyer predictably looking like he was on the verge of tears.

"I'm fine!" he said, his voice overdramatic and watery. "I'm just so glad to see you!"

At the table, Clemont clenched his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose. He shook his head. Bonnie folded her arms, a rather disappointed look on her face.

"Aw, come on, dad!" she said.

"I'm happy to see you, too!" Korrina said, looking up at Meyer. "I'm glad to be back."

"And we're so happy to have you back," said Meyer.

The group hug parted, and Meyer immediately reached for a rag in one of his pockets. He sniffled loudly as he dabbed his eyes with it. Korrina took a step back from him and tilted her head slightly. She gave him a fond, amused sort of look.

"I don't think I've ever seen anyone so happy to see me," she said. "Clemont didn't even get this worked up!"

"That's because unlike my father, I always do my best to maintain a modicum of composure," said Clemont.

Meyer waved his filthy rag at Clemont.

"Now now, there's nothing wrong with displaying a little emotion," he said. "It takes strength for a man to show his softer side!"

"There is a considerable difference between showing some emotion and wearing one's emotions on their sleeves," said Clemont.

"You cry over everything, dad!" said Bonnie.

"They're always happy tears," said Meyer. "Now, how about I get started on dinner? Does that sound good to everyone?"

There was a chorus of agreement from all around the room. As Serena heard the voices, she realized that everyone was there. At the far end of the table, Lillie was seated between Ash and Aria, a barrier between the two of them, maintaining snippets of conversation with both of them. Serena wasn't certain if she should envy Lillie or pity her.

Chaos ensued as Meyer began the dinner preparations, recruiting the help of several people in the process. Realizing that there were far too many cooks in the kitchen, Serena stepped out. Uncertain what her next move would be, she hesitated for a moment at the foot of the stairs.

"Hey."

Serena turned her head and saw Korrina following behind her. Korrina stopped in the hallway, shifted her stance awkwardly, then folded her arms and leaned against the wall.

"So... Clemont told me a lot about what happened while I was gone," she said.

Serena clenched her whole face in an attempt to prevent herself from wincing. It didn't work.

"Oh?" she said.

"Yeah," said Korrina. "How have you been? Are you okay?"

"No," said Serena. She shook her head a couple of times. "I haven't been great."

"That... wasn't a very smart question, was it?" said Korrina. She looked aside for a moment, then back at Serena. "Have things been getting better, at least?"

"Not really," said Serena.

"But it's been weeks!" said Korrina. "I thought for sure that you and Ash and Aria would have been able to talk at least _some _of this stuff out by now!"

"We haven't talked at all."

"What?"

"No one _wants _to talk to me," said Serena. She shrugged. "I don't blame them, honestly."

"You mean, you all haven't figured out _anything _while I've been gone?"

"We figured out that I'm a pretty bad girlfriend, but that's about it."

"Serena!"

"What? It's the truth."

"Come on!" said Korrina. "You've had all this time to try to work things out, and you haven't talked to _anyone?"_

"I tried!" said Serena. "Aria won't talk to me! And every time I try to talk to Ash, it's super awkward and we just avoid the point! What else can I do?"

Korrina rolled her eyes, craning her neck backward and looking up toward the ceiling with an exaggerated groan.

"Do I have to do _everything_ around here?" she said.

"What more could I have done?" said Serena. "I'm in no position to ask them to do anything!"

"It's not about _asking."_

"I can't _make them_ talk to me!"

"Well, good news!" said Korrina. "I can."

"Huh?"

Korrina reached into one of the pockets of her hoodie and pulled out a Poké Ball.

"What are you doing?" said Serena.

"Making things happen."

"You can't be serious about this!"

"I'm super serious about this!" said Korrina. She tossed the ball, and Lucario emerged from it in a flash.

"You can't just interfere with this!" said Serena. "It's my business, not yours!"

"It's _everyone's _business because we're all stuck here under the same roof together and fighting for the same cause!" said Korrina. "How are we supposed to come up with a way to beat Palermo if you, Ash, and Aria won't talk to each other?"

"I don't-"

"Lucario, go get Ash!"

"Korrina!"

Serena's protest went unheeded. Instead of backing down, Korrina advanced on her.

"What are you- Hey! Stop!"

Serena abandoned her question mid-sentence as all sense of civility fell apart. She didn't understand what happened next, only that it happened at a dizzying pace. One moment, she saw Korrina in front of her. The next, she had been spun around, and Korrina held her firmly by the wrist, her arm forced behind her back. Her other arm was trapped uselessly by her side as Korrina gripped her from behind in a crushing hold.

"Ash!"

Serena's cry was answered, but not in the way she wanted. A few moments of useless struggle later, she heard Ash involved in a struggle of his own. She turned her head and saw Lucario pull him into the hallway with both of his hands secured behind his back.

"Lucario, stop!" said Ash. "It's me!"

"Don't fight it!" said Korrina. "It's for your own good!"

Ash turned his head to look at Korrina, confusion and fear on his face.

"Korrina, what are you doing?" he said. A moment later, his eyes landed on Serena. His eyes widened a bit more, and then he looked at Korrina again. "Let us go!"

"Not happening," said Korrina.

"Don't make me get Pikachu!" said Ash.

"The only thing I'm making you do is _talk," _said Korrina.

"About what?" said Ash. "What do you want to know?"

"Not talk to _me," _said Korrina. "I mean to each other!"

Ash looked at Serena again. Their eyes met, and his face slackened. He looked more confused than ever.

"Huh?"

"I didn't spend a month away from my friends and resign from my job just so I could come back to a drama bomb waiting to explode!"

Serena's jaw dropped. She tried with considerable difficulty to look back at Korrina. Korrina shuffled her along down the hallway.

"Wait, you resigned?" said Serena.

"Yeah," said Korrina. "Long story. The short version is that I got sick of all the rules and regulations and legal stuff and decided I'd had enough. My grandpa is acting as the gym leader now until they find a replacement."

"I- Wow, I'm... sorry?"

"I'm not," said Korrina. She pushed Serena a few more feet forward, then stopped.

Korrina leaned forward, using her elbow to keep Serena's arm pinned against her while she reached out with her hand. Serena got a very close look at the door to the cupboard under the stairs as her face was pressed against it. Then, Korrina heaved her backward, and the door came open. It was dark inside.

Lucario dragged Ash up beside them. Ash continued to struggle uselessly against Lucario's iron grip. The stale, musty air from inside the closet wafted out. It was filled with random household objects. Serena yelped and then struggled not to trip as Korrina shoved her inside.

"Hey!" said Serena. "Are you-?"

She was unable to finish her question before Lucario shoved Ash inside, causing the two of them to collide and topple over. There was a cacophony of buckets and broomsticks and everything else imaginable as the two of them crashed to the floor.

Serena had just enough time to roll over on the ground and look up to see Korrina shut the door behind them. The light vanished. The lock clicked.

Even more unknown objects went clattering as Serena heard Ash spring up next to her in the dark and then slam himself against the door. He struggled with the doorknob.

"Korrina, let us out!"

"Sorry, but no!" said Korrina. Her voice was muffled by the door. "You have to beat the game first!"

"What game?!" said Ash.

"You're in my brand-new escape room!" said Korrina.

"This isn't an escape room!" said Serena. "It's a closet!"

"I've repurposed it!" said Korrina. "You have to solve the puzzle before I let you out."

"What puzzle?" said Ash.

"Your feelings for each other!" said Korrina. "You have to sort out your issues with each other before I let you out."

"Korrina, you can't do this!" said Serena. "This isn't helping!"

"That's where you're wrong!" said Korrina. "You two have needed to do this for a long time."

"Are you crazy?" said Serena.

"Maybe!" said Korrina.

"How can you think that this is a good idea?" said Serena. "Did you and Clemont do this or something?"

"Ha! No, we didn't," said Korrina. "Funny that you mention it, though, because it took him so long to confess to me that when he finally did, at first I thought he was going to tell me about _another_ kind of closet."

"Korrina, this isn't funny!" said Ash. He beat his fist on the door. "Let us out, now!"

"I will if you two solve the puzzle!" said Korrina. "You've got one hour! I'll be back then. I'll be telling the others to leave you two alone and not to let you out, either!"

"An hour?!" said Ash. "What if we solve the puzzle before then?"

"Make the most of it, then," said Korrina.

"Korrina!" Serena shouted, warmth rushing to her face.

"I'll see you two then," said Korrina. "Good luck!"

Footsteps trailed away. Ash pounded his fist on the door again.

"Korrina! Get back here! Let us out!"

Korrina did not respond. Her footsteps tracked directly overhead, up the stairs.

The two of them were alone.

* * *

The first few minutes passed in excruciating silence. As Serena's eyes adjusted, she realized that it was not perfectly black inside. A thin sliver of light peeked in from beneath the door. It was not enough light to truly see, but it was enough to make some sense of her surroundings. Ash stood in front of the door with his back to it, leaning against it. She was not certain, but it looked like his arms were folded. She could not see his face at all.

Serena herself sat on the dusty floor. The closet was deep, almost impractically so, the furthest reaches of it extending all the way to the foot of the stairs. She could not determine what was stored there, and it would have been impossible to reach without crawling. As for the disheveled contents around her, an assortment of cleaning supplies was strewn about the floor, scattered by their haphazard entry.

"I guess she's really not gonna let us out, huh?" said Ash.

"I don't think so," said Serena. "It's hard to make her change her mind."

"Hmm," said Ash. Serena saw his feet move in the dim light. He faced the door and rattled the handle. "I think I can break the door down if I try."

"Meyer would probably be pretty upset about that," said Serena. "We'd have to replace the door."

"Eh, no big deal," said Ash. Serena saw one of his feet leave the ground, undoubtedly to push against the door frame for more leverage.

"Ash, don't!" she said.

"You sure?" he said. "This door's not very sturdy. I think it'll work."

"It's not worth the trouble," said Serena. "Just… don't. Please."

Ash's other foot returned to the ground. He turned around and faced Serena again.

"So, do you wanna wait it out?" he said.

"Why don't we talk?"

"You wanna play Korrina's game?"

"Don't get me wrong!" said Serena. "She did this in the dumbest, most tactless way possible, but… she kind of has a point."

"You think so?"

"Yeah."

Ash responded with something that sounded like a halfhearted grunt.

"She's right that we haven't really talked, and that's my fault," said Serena. "I keep putting it off. It's so dumb. It's just... really hard."

"Yeah," said Ash.

"It's... scary, honestly."

"Yeah," Ash said again. His voice was quieter than before.

Serena shook her head. Her heart was already pounding. She felt sweat forming all over her body. She wasn't certain if it was her or if the closet was just really hot.

"Can you sit down with me?" she said. "I've got a lot to explain. It's going to take a while."

"Sure," said Ash. With some difficulty, he cleared a space around his feet and then slowly lowered himself to the ground. Opposite her, Serena could just barely see the silhouette of his face in the dim light, his back to the door.

Serena wasn't certain if not being able to see Ash's face made this easier or harder. At least it didn't feel impossible.

"I'm not sure where to start," said Serena. "So much happened."

"How about when you left Professor Kukui's lab?" said Ash. "What happened then? You never said."

It wasn't what Serena meant, but she supposed it was as good a starting point as any. At least it meant she wouldn't have to face the hard truth of the matter yet. Not yet. Just a few more minutes.

"Not much," said Serena. "I walked to the Pokémon Center. I spent the night. I took a taxi to the airport in Hau'oli City the next morning, then took the next flight to Lumiose City. I went home. It took a while. Honestly, I barely even remember it. I was barely even there, if that makes sense."

"Kinda," said Ash. "I was super worried about you. I told Professor Kukui and Burnet about what happened. I wanted to follow you, but Professor Burnet told me to let you go. She stayed with us for a long time after that, until Lillie and I left. She spent a lot of time with Lillie. They talked a lot."

"I'm really glad that Lillie had her there to help," said Serena. "She needed her. She needed a real mom."

"Yeah, she did."

"Things were… _weird_ when I got home to my mom," said Serena. "It was like she understood what happened even though I never really told her about it. She just knew somehow."

"Mom powers, I guess," said Ash.

"Yeah, I didn't really understand it. She understood, though. At least, I think she did. We hugged. We both cried. I think we both thought about my dad."

Serena sensed Ash stiffen.

"Hmm," he hummed.

"I'm not sure why," said Serena. "What happened wasn't really like what happened with my mom and dad, but… it also kind of _was_ like that? It's weird. It felt connected, but I don't know how to explain it."

Ash didn't say anything for a while. Neither did Serena. She knew that the present topic touched on the one subject Ash wanted to talk about least of all.

To her surprise, Ash spoke first.

"What was he like?"

"Hm?"

"Your dad."

Astonished, Serena needed a moment to collect her thoughts to respond.

"I don't really know," she said. "I don't remember him very well. I was so young when he left. I have a few memories of him playing with me and taking care of me, but the rest of them are pretty much all of him fighting with my mom. They fought a lot."

Ash said nothing. Serena thought some more and continued.

"My mom and I fought a lot, too," she said. "I used to think it was all her fault. I blamed her for my dad leaving. I blamed her for us fighting all the time. I thought it was all because of her. I wanted to be nothing like her because of it. I didn't want to fight with anyone, ever. I didn't want to say anything to upset anyone, ever. So, I hid everything for as long as I could. When I finally broke and spilled my secrets, I didn't know what to do anymore. I made so many stupid mistakes so quickly. Everything fell apart."

Serena shook her head.

"My dad and I have a lot in common, I think," she said. "I think the same thing happened to him. He wasn't a fighter. When he made mistakes and was backed into a corner, he didn't fight. He ran away. Forever. I tried to do the same thing. Honestly, if Clemont and everyone hadn't come looking for me, I would still be hiding at home."

Serena thought for a moment.

"I never saw my dad again after he left. I never even heard from him. I used to think it was because he didn't care. I'm not so sure about that anymore. I think that maybe he never tried to get in touch with me was because he felt like he wasn't worthy of being a dad, and that he deserved to punish himself for it. I felt the same way about all the things I did."

"You never wanted to hurt anyone," said Ash. "I know you. You made a mistake."

"I made a lot of mistakes," said Serena.

"You didn't make any of them on purpose," said Ash.

"But I kept making them," said Serena. "I still keep making them, and it's all because old habits are hard to break. It's hard to be honest when you've spent your whole life hiding. I've been trying, but… it's hard. I may be determined, but I'm not very brave, no matter what anyone says."

"I think you're brave."

"I think I'm a coward," said Serena. "My mom is brave. She stood up for herself. She fought for her dreams. She even pushed herself to do her best at things she didn't want to do. She sacrificed her career to raise me. Even though it didn't always show, she put me before herself. That took courage. My father was a weak, cowardly man. He refused to fight even when it was his only choice. He gave up. And that's what hurts the most. I repeated his mistake. I didn't have the courage or the strength to wait for you or to trust you. My dad gave up on me and my mom. I… gave up on you."

Ash didn't say anything. In the darkness, the faint shadows shifted. Serena thought she saw him bow his head.

"I lost faith," said Serena. "I thought it would be easy to wait for you to come back. I really believed that at first, but once I left home and came here and stopped isolating myself, and I stopped getting your letters, that all changed. I felt even more alone than I did at home, and I think it was because it was easy to ignore our separation when I couldn't see anyone else together. But Clemont and Korrina were right here, and they were so good together, and I felt so… desperate. I couldn't stand being alone. I tried to pour myself into my work, but it was so mindless, and all of that changed once I found Aria."

"You chased her down, right?"

"Yes, despite her best efforts to avoid me. I didn't understand why back then. I was so obsessed with wanting to apologize to her. I had to undo all the terrible things I did somehow, and since Lillie was in Alola with you, I was going to have to wait to make things right with her. So, I focused on Aria instead. When I finally found her, everything went crazy."

"Yeah, it sounds like it did," said Ash.

"I'm sure you know the story by now, even if I haven't told you," said Serena. "I chased her to an abandoned building where she was hiding, her old dance school. Palermo followed us. We barely escaped. I brought Aria here. Aria ended up trapped here. I felt really guilty about it, and I did my best to fix the friendship she and I had begun to form in Monego City. But that's when things got complicated."

"Yeah..."

Serena squinted in the darkness. She saw the faint shadow of Ash raising his hand and placing it behind his neck. Not that it mattered in their current situation, but she was sure he was looking away from her. Serena hesitated for a while before she spoke again.

"I tried to become friends with Aria, but she and I have a really complicated history. She had feelings for me, and she viewed you as the reason she couldn't be with me."

"I know," said Ash.

"Well, none of those feelings went away. If anything, they became stronger. Aria and I spent a lot of time together, and we began to get really close. And… at the same time I was growing closer to her, I felt farther and farther apart from you. My feelings began to change."

Ash was very quiet.

"From my point of view, all of the signs pointed to you having given up on me. To me, it looked like you wrote to me at first but then stopped. I didn't write back to you until it was too late, and you never even got that letter. It got sent back to me, and so I just assumed you had given up on our relationship. And honestly, why wouldn't you? You had a beautiful, lovely girl by your side who adored you. You saved her, journeyed through a tropical paradise together, even traveled to another dimension together. I was just the girl who followed you until you liked me, then lost her mind because of her insecurity. How could I compete with that?"

"That wasn't what I felt," said Ash.

"I... know that now," said Serena. She shook her head at how stupid her own words sounded. "But we were apart for a long time, and, well, I did what made sense to me at the time. It kind of felt like it was the only thing I _could _do."

"Really?"

Serena was grateful she could not see the expression on Ash's face. She bit her lip.

"I... couldn't help it," she said. "It just kind of _happened._ You don't fall for someone on purpose. I couldn't help what my feelings were!"

In the silence that followed, Serena closed her eyes. She bowed her head and then held her head in both hands.

"I couldn't help falling for Aria," she said, quieter than before. "I couldn't change my feelings. What I could have changed are my actions. I really, really wish I had."

"Yeah."

Ash's flat reply made Serena's heart sink. She scrambled for more words.

"I didn't want to hurt you!" she said. "I didn't want to hurt anyone! I just... wanted to _stop _hurting."

When she received nothing in response, Serena cringed and craned her neck upward toward the ceiling. She groaned.

"I sound so _stupid,"_ she said. "I can't believe what an _idiot _I sound like. What am I even doing?"

She covered her face with both hands, producing a soft clapping sound as she slapped them over her eyes. An extended silence followed as the scent of dinner cooking in the kitchen and endless waves of self-loathing washed over her. She couldn't believe her own words.

She also couldn't believe the next thing Ash said.

"I... didn't know that girls could be, you know, _girlfriends."_

"Ash! Really?! Come on!"

"I didn't know!"

"Are you serious?! How can you not know? You knew that Aria had feelings for me!"

"I dunno, I just thought she was, like, weird or something."

"Aria wasn't being _weird!_ She likes girls! And-"

Serena stopped herself. She made a painfully awkward face, then continued at a much lower volume.

"...and I do, too, apparently."

"Huh."

Serena knew what Ash's simple reply meant. It was the same one he always gave when he received a new and unexpected piece of information that left him well and truly speechless. She wasn't certain if his genuine astonishment was endearing or the most absurd and frustrating thing ever.

"And also boys," Serena added. "I think. I like you, and I like Aria. That's all I really know. It's… confusing."

"Yeah, no joke," said Ash. "I had no idea."

Serena paused. She wondered for a moment if Korrina's choice of a closet to lock them in had been intentional. She wasn't sure if she should laugh, cry, scream, or all of the above. She did none of them.

"So, yeah," she said. "I dated Aria for a while. We broke up when you and Lillie arrived. I was kind of in denial about what I was doing the whole time."

"What do you mean?"

Serena narrowed her eyes at Ash. She couldn't comprehend his question.

"What do _you _mean?" she said.

"What were you in denial about?"

Serena winced. She didn't want to say it. She knew she had no choice.

"About... _cheating_ on you," she said.

"Huh?"

Serena paused.

"Don't tell me that you don't know what that means," she said. "Please. There's no way. You have to. It's impossible."

"Well, yeah, but you didn't really cheat on me, did you?"

"What?"

"It doesn't sound like you did."

"What part of me dating someone else without your knowledge doesn't sound like cheating to you?!"

Ash shifted his posture a bit.

"For it to be cheating, don't you have to, _you know…"_

_"What?!"_

"Do I have to say it?" said Ash.

Serena dug her fingers into her hair and pulled.

"What?!" she said. "Just- what?! You don't have to have _sex_ with someone for it to be cheating! Where in the world did you get that idea?"

Ash laughed nervously. Serena heard him scratch his neck, for certain this time.

"Man, Brock really didn't explain this stuff very well," he said.

"What did he tell you?"

"I dunno," said Ash. "It never made much sense. I don't think he knew what he was talking about."

"Didn't he propose to practically every girl he met?"

"Yeah. It was a lot like what Bonnie used to do for Clemont."

"A lot creepier, I bet."

"Most girls didn't like it, I think. Misty used to pull him away by the ear. His Croagunk used to punch him."

"And _he's_ the one who taught you about romance, isn't he?"

"Yeah."

"Ugh. No wonder you don't understand."

"It was always super weird."

"I'm sure it was."

"He told me that cheating was when you're with someone and you, uh, _do it_ with someone else."

Serena exhaled sharply through her nose.

"Well, he wasn't _totally_ wrong," she said. "That's _one_ way to cheat."

"What other ways are there?"

"Probably too many to count," said Serena. "That's not really the point, though. The whole idea of cheating is that you aren't faithful to your partner. You have the kind of intimacy you're supposed to have only with them with someone else. Unfortunately, that's exactly what I did."

"I wasn't here, though," said Ash. "You thought I gave up on you."

"That doesn't change anything," said Serena. "You were faithful to me the whole time, despite everything. I was not faithful to you."

"But our break never really ended, did it?"

"That's no excuse," said Serena. "It's a convenient lie I told to make myself feel better about everything. It doesn't matter if we were on a break or not. We never talked about dating other people, let alone agreed it was okay. You signed all of your letters to me with _Love, Ash. _There was nothing ambiguous about what our relationship truly was, not really. We were still together, just… separated, for a while. That's all. And I let that separation overcome me. I was weak, and scared, and lonely, and Aria was here. I wanted to be with her. I wanted to pretend the consequences weren't real. I wanted to give up and take the easy way out. And I did. I betrayed your trust. I wasn't a faithful lover to you, and I destroyed our relationship. I'm sorry."

"You didn't destroy anything," said Ash.

"Yes I did," said Serena. "We can't continue to be together after this. That's not how this works."

"If you say so," said Ash.

Serena paused. Her brow creased.

"That's it?" she said. "That's all you have to say about this?"

"I dunno what to say about it," said Ash.

"After all this, you're willing to just agree with me that it's over, like it's nothing? Aren't you mad? Do you care at all?"

"I don't want it to be over. But if you say it is, what am I gonna do?"

"I don't want it to be over, either!" said Serena. "That's why I'm so upset about this! I made the biggest mistake of my life! I hurt _you,_ the person I care about the most! Or at least, I _thought_ I did, but none of this really seems to matter to you, and I don't know how to take that! How am I supposed to interpret you reacting to my infidelity as if I asked you to solve a math problem you didn't understand?"

Ash said nothing. Serena faintly saw him bow his head.

"I want to fix things between us," said Serena. "I really do. I don't know if our problems can be fixed anymore, though. It feels like all my effort to make things better has only made things worse, and it's cost me both Aria and you. I don't know what to do anymore."

"I don't, either," said Ash.

"And that's the thing," said Serena. "You were my guiding light for so long. You showed me the way. I followed you, always, forever. But now, we're lost, and neither one of us knows the way."

Serena shut her eyes. She hung her head, curling her knees up to her chest. For the first time, she thought she felt it, Aria's terrible truth about her love for Ash.

But then Ash said something that made Serena's jaw drop.

"At least we're lost together."

Serena looked up at him. It was pointless. She couldn't see his face. There was no way to read his expression, his posture obscured by darkness.

"I'd rather be lost with you than know where I'm going with anyone else," he said.

Before Serena could formulate a coherent thought and put it into words, she was interrupted by the thundering sound of someone racing down the stairs up above. She heard the footsteps reach the bottom of the stairs, then turn in their direction.

"Has it been an hour already?" said Ash.

Serena was certain it had not, but she did not get an opportunity to respond. The lock on the door turned, and it flew open. Both she and Ash squinted and shielded their eyes, blinded by the light.

Lillie stood in the door.

"I apologize if I'm interrupting something, but Korrina sent me to get you two," she said.

"But our time's not up yet, is it?" said Ash. "I don't think we've solved the puzzle."

Serena strained her eyes to look at Lillie. Lillie bore a stern expression.

"Korrina assured me that doesn't matter," Lillie said, shaking her head. "There is something you both need to see immediately."

* * *

A minute later, upstairs in Clemont's room, Serena's eyes glazed over as she stared at the monitor. Everyone was gathered around Clemont's computer, a news article displayed on the screen.

At the top of the article was a picture. It was of Serena and Aria at the roller rink, holding hands.

_"How?"_

Serena's single word broke a silence that had lasted longer than she realized. She blinked, and she realized that her hands were damp. A bead of sweat trickled down her back. She squirmed.

"What is this?" said Ash. He leaned over Clemont's shoulder and tried to take a closer look.

"It appears to be a photo from an outing more than a month ago, when we all went out for Aria's birthday," said Clemont.

"Who took it?" said Ash.

"An excellent question," said Clemont. "We know for a fact that it was not any of us. We didn't have a camera with us that day."

Serena gulped, and she felt her heart pounding in her throat. The photo was grainy and out of focus, but undeniably of her and Aria.

"There were a million people there!" said Bonnie. "It could have been anyone!"

"I think the actual figure is more like a hundred, but your point stands," said Clemont. "There was far too much activity taking place there for us to have noticed anyone taking a picture."

"It doesn't look like the picture was supposed to be of Aria and Serena, either," said Lillie. When all eyes turned to her, she folded her hands and bowed her head for a moment before continuing. "It looks to me like the two of them are in the background of a bigger picture."

"Agreed," said Clemont, nodding at her. "I suspect that whoever created this article likely was not present when the photo was taken."

"And we _know_ who did this," said Korrina. She sat on the edge of Clemont's bed, glaring at the screen.

"According to the article itself, it was written by a reporter named-"

"It was Palermo!" said Korrina.

Clemont hesitated for a moment, then nodded.

"Yes, most likely," he said. "I think it is safe to assume that she did this by proxy."

"I was afraid she would do something like this," said Aria.

Aria stood in the far corner of the room, away from everyone else, with her arms crossed and her head turned away. She glanced at everyone else for a moment, then returned to looking at her feet.

"I was afraid she would start targeting you all directly," she said.

"She already did," said Korrina. "Clemont and I lost our gyms because of her!"

"You two are public figures, though," said Aria. "You're not exactly celebrities, but _slander_ is not entirely out of the question for you two. She's going after people who aren't famous now. She's making it more... _personal. _We're lucky she didn't publish the address of this house. The paparazzi would already be outside if she had."

Clemont scrolled through the article.

"Unfortunately, I think an enterprising sleuth would be able to determine that this address is the place to look," he said. "There are enough clues here to point someone in the right direction."

"Great," said Korrina. She flopped backward onto Clemont's bed.

"It feels strange to say something like this, but I have to give her credit," said Clemont. "It's a brilliantly crafted article. It reads like a gossip piece on the surface, but there's so much more hidden behind it if the reader knows where to look. Fascinating, really."

There was a moment of total silence followed by Bonnie punching Clemont on the arm.

_"Clemont!" _she said.

"Hey!" said Clemont. He inched away in his chair and covered the sore spot on his arm with his spare hand. "What was that for?"

"This isn't the time!" said Bonnie.

Korrina sat upright on the bed again and scowled at Clemont.

"Can you _not _admire the bad guy right now?" she said.

"I- Yes, I see your point," said Clemont. His shoulders sank as he spoke. "Not very tactful of me."

"You wouldn't know _tact_ if I hit you with it!" said Bonnie.

"I'll ignore the blatant contradiction regarding what _tact_ is supposed to be," said Clemont. "We have a much more important problem to solve."

Clemont straightened up in his seat and adjusted his glasses.

"We have all been avoiding this subject for a while now, I think," he said. "Not to mention that this is the first time in recent memory that we have all been gathered in one place. Given the circumstances, I would say the time has never been more opportune."

"You mean _Palermo?" _said Ash.

"Yes," said Clemont. "Or, to be more precise, how to stop her. At this point, I think it is perfectly evident to everyone that we need to come up with a plan."

Ash looked around the room a few times. All eyes were on him.

"Well, what are we gonna do?" he said.

"You're the only one of us who can beat her," said Korrina. "It's up to you."

Ash glanced in Aria's direction for a moment.

"But... Aria told me to stay out of this," he said.

Korrina's head snapped in Aria's direction and her face scrunched up in confusion.

"What?!" she said.

With her lips pursed, Aria nodded.

"It's true."

"Are you crazy?" said Korrina. "How else are we supposed to stop her? Her Florges took out Lucario like it was nothing!"

"I'm well aware of her strength," said Aria. "My opposition to Ash's involvement is for personal reasons, not practical ones."

"Why do you care who does it?" said Korrina. "She ruined your life, didn't she? She's going to ruin all of ours if we don't stop her!"

"I recognize that possibility and I don't want things to come to that," said Aria. "I assure you, the last thing I want is for any of you to be hurt because of this."

"I've _already _lost my gym because of this!" said Korrina. "We didn't have a way to stop Palermo then, but we do now!"

"Contrary to how it may seem, I'm not so sure that we do, not even with Ash's involvement," said Aria.

"Ash is a champion!" said Korrina. "There's no way she's stronger than him!"

"You're correct that she isn't, but that's not the problem," said Aria. "Palermo is definitely aware that she is outmatched. I can guarantee you that she has accounted for this in some way."

"How could she?" said Korrina.

"In many ways," said Aria. "Palermo has many powerful allies, and I don't just mean powerful _trainers._ She has _influence. _She has the media and the law on her side. If we were to attempt to storm her mansion and defeat her, the most likely outcome _by far _is that we would all be arrested. No one would ever believe us, even if we succeeded and tried to expose the truth."

"We can't succeed if we don't even try!" said Korrina.

"I have no reason to believe that we would succeed even if we did try," said Aria. "There are too many ways for things to go wrong."

"Do you even _want _to stop her?" said Korrina. She stood up, fists clenched. "This doesn't make any sense! You've got all these people who are willing to help you, so why don't you want our help? You can't stop her alone. What gives? Do you _want _her to win? Are you on her side or something?!"

Aria looked shocked, like she had been slapped in the face. The entire room fell silent.

"How... how could you even _suggest _such a thing?!" said Aria. "You've seen the truth about her firsthand! Do you think I _want _to be trapped here like this? I chose to live in _squalor _over living another day under her control!"

"Then if that's true, you _know _that we're all in danger!" said Korrina. "Is _that _worth you getting to fight back the way you want? She's obviously not going to stop until she gets whatever it is that she wants. Do you want her to do to all of us what she's done to you? If we don't do something, we'll be lucky if she doesn't start attacking our _families _in the news!"

Clemont raised his hand and extended it toward Korrina.

"Korrina, please-"

"I am _not _going to just stand by and let that happen!" said Korrina. She advanced a step toward Aria. "Is that _really _worth it to you?"

Aria bowed her head. With a pained expression on her face, she clenched her eyes shut.

"I don't want any of you to get hurt," she said. "I just really, truly don't believe that the way you want to fight back against her is going to work. She'll deceive you. She will_ always_ deceive you. It's only a matter of time."

Korrina glared at Aria. Aria did not look up. A tense silence followed.

After several seconds, Lillie spoke up.

"I... have a suggestion I would like to make," she said, timidly looking around at everyone.

"What is it?" said Ash.

"I have an idea that might be a suitable compromise," she said. "It would be a way for us to take action, but without directly attacking Palermo."

Aria looked up at Lillie and shook her head.

"Lillie, I don't think-"

"Enough!" said Lillie. Immediately, she seemed embarrassed by the volume of her voice. She momentarily covered her mouth with both hands, then folded them in front of herself. "I'm sorry, but we mustn't argue amongst ourselves like this. Both sides have legitimate points, but we have more options than either doing nothing or charging into battle headfirst. There is a space in between those two extremes."

"I'm inclined to agree with you," said Clemont, "although I must admit that I'm not sure what options exist in that space, so to speak."

"I think we have all been focusing on the wrong problem," said Lillie. "Or rather, I think that there may be a better way to approach the problem. If the problem is that Palermo is trying to recapture Aria, we don't have to _defeat _Palermo to prevent that from happening. All we have to do is ensure that Palermo cannot get to her."

Bonnie raised an eyebrow at Lillie.

"Isn't that what we've been doing here this whole time?" she said.

"In a sense, yes," said Lillie. "I think we are all aware, though, that the relative safety of this place comes not from its actual security, but rather from Palermo's desire to avoid drawing attention to her actions. She seems to consider it too much of a risk to attempt a direct assault here."

"True," said Clemont. "It is not clear that there are any places safer than here, though. I'm not certain that we have any alternative."

Lillie tried to hide it, but a smile began to form on her lips.

"As it so happens, I have access to a place where Palermo absolutely, unquestionably cannot reach Aria, or anyone else," she said.

The gears began to turn inside Serena's head. Her lips parted as the realization dawned on her.

"Do you mean... your mom's artificial island?" she said.

Lillie nodded excitedly. Ash pumped his fist.

"That's it!" he said. "How come we didn't think of that before? Aether Paradise is perfect for this!"

Everyone else looked less certain.

"Is it really that safe?" said Korrina.

"Yes, definitely!" said Lillie. "My brother is the new president of the foundation. He controls all access to and from the facility. There is no way for anyone to enter or leave without his knowledge and approval."

"The facility is in the middle of the ocean, isn't it?" said Clemont. "How could we possibly transport Aria to it?"

Lillie held up one finger.

"The Aether Foundation has a private jet!" she said. "It was how Ash and I traveled here, in fact. I can easily contact my brother and make arrangements for him to send the jet here to pick up Aria. The only trouble would be getting Aria to the airport unnoticed. How fortunate, then, that it just so happens that Aria is particularly adept at disguising herself."

Lillie looked expectantly at Aria. Aria sighed.

"I don't want to trade one prison for another," she said.

Lillie's smile morphed into a concerned frown.

"I admit that this is not ideal, but I think it may be the best opportunity we have at this point," said Lillie. "I may not understand the situation as well as everyone else here, but I am beginning to get the impression that we are running out of time before something terrible happens. I prefer not to think in such black-and-white terms, but it may be now or never."

Stone-faced, Aria thought for a while. She shook her head.

"Very well. Call your brother, then."

* * *

Serena had never given it any thought before, but Gladion looked exactly like what she expected a person named _Gladion _to look like. As she discovered during the video phone call, Gladion was Lillie's antithesis in every meaningful way. Were it not for their hair and eye color, she never would have guessed they were related. Gladion's standoffish attitude matched his all-black clothing, in stark contrast to the pristine white of the office visible behind him. Serena assumed the décor was Lusamine's handiwork. Given what she knew of the place, it was rather unsettling.

Despite his demeanor, Gladion did not hesitate in the slightest in agreeing to send the foundation's jet to Lumiose City. Much like Lillie, he seemed sympathetic to Aria's plight. The conversation lasted much longer than expected, in part because of Lillie's concern about their mother and her interest in her recovery, but more so because Gladion took every possible opportunity to assure Ash at great length that he was stronger than ever before and would defeat him in their next battle.

An impromptu strategy session followed and continued late into the night. The jet was due to arrive the next evening – soon, but not soon enough. As Clemont discovered and then pontificated on at great length, the jet's anticipated arrival would be just ahead of the arrival of a cold front which was expected to produce Lumiose City's first snowfall of the season. There would only be a window of a few hours at most, not nearly enough turnaround time for a pilot and an aircraft after a transoceanic flight. They would have to wait until the storm had passed, which conveniently gave them more time to figure out how to sneak Aria to and through the airport.

That night, Serena went to sleep expecting that the following day would be spent making additional preparations. What she did not expect was how that day would begin.

Early in the morning, she stirred from a deep sleep as she felt someone jostle her shoulder. When she opened her eyes, she saw Lillie standing over her. Lillie had tears streaming down her cheeks, and she clutched a piece of paper against her chest. Ribombee zoomed frantically around the room.

"Lillie?" said Serena. She scrambled to sit upright in her bed. "What's wrong?"

"It's Aria," said Lillie. She swallowed, then sniffled. "She's... _gone."_

_"What?!"_

"She left this."

Lillie extended the piece of paper to Serena. Serena took it from her. It was a note, written in that familiar loopy cursive she had seen so many times before.

_Dear Lillie,_

_Your companionship has been a joy to me throughout these last couple of weeks. I will forever be thankful for the kindness you have shown me during this difficult time. I appreciate your compassion and your concern for me more than I can explain. I am truly touched that you would go to such lengths to help me._

_Unfortunately, it has become clear to me as my situation has become more serious that I am placing an unfair burden upon you and everyone else in this household. I have been selfish, and it is because of my selfish desires that all of you are in danger. I wanted to find a way to escape this situation on my own, and it is because of that na__ï__ve hope that all of you have become entangled in a situation __that__ never needed to involve any of you. I cannot bear the thought of what might happen to you all if your plan to help me fails._

_You were correct that we had more options, and there was a very obvious one that no one mentioned, one that now seems to me like the simplest way to do the most good for everyone involved. When you find this letter, I will have already taken that option. I am going to turn myself over to Palermo, thus freeing all of you from her tyranny. For your sake and the sake of everyone else who has been so kind to me over the last two months, I cannot allow you to endanger yourselves on my behalf anymore._

_I cannot win this battle, but I can win the war. I will be free of her one day. She will not live forever. When that time comes, I would love to be able to see you again, and all of the friends I have been so lucky to make. Until then, I hope life is kind to you. You deserve it._

_I will miss you, and it has been a pleasure to call you my friend. Please send my warmest regards to everyone else. I hope to see you all again someday._

_Thank you for everything._

_\- Aria_


	14. Breaking All Illusions

Chapter Fourteen - Breaking All Illusions

Lillie's voice trailed off in a whisper as she finished reading Aria's letter aloud. Atop her head, Ribombee whimpered. Lowering the paper, Lillie let the letter rest at her side, and she looked around the room. Disbelieving eyes stared back at her. She lowered her head.

Everyone was gathered in Clemont's room again. It was another impromptu strategy meeting, this time with one fewer participant. Lillie crossed one arm over her body and gripped her other arm with it as if trying to hold herself. She closed her eyes and took a long, deep breath, Aria's letter dangling at her side.

"I shouldn't have left her alone," said Lillie. "I thought she would be fine overnight. She seemed like she was in poor spirits, but I didn't think it was because of anything other than what happened yesterday. I didn't realize what she was planning to do."

"I doubt that there was any way for you to have known what she planned to do," said Clemont. "It is not your fault that she made the decision in secret. It seems perfectly clear why she would want to keep her intentions to herself. She knew that someone would have attempted to stop her."

Once again seated on Clemont's bed, Korrina folded her arms.

"I bet she was planning this the whole time," she said.

All eyes turned to look at Korrina. She bore a scowl on her face.

"Think about it," she said. "She refused our help, then went running back to Palermo. She probably didn't want any of us to get involved so that we didn't mess up any of Palermo's plans! She didn't want Ash to battle Palermo because she knew he would beat her!"

Lillie parted her lips, then looked up at Korrina and shook her head.

"I assure you I understand that the circumstances seem suspicious, but from what I know of Aria, I have no reason not to take her word at face value," said Lillie. "I really do believe that she has been telling us the truth the entire time. I have no reason to doubt her."

"She's an actress!" said Korrina. "She knows how to make it look like she's telling the truth!"

"True as that may be, I do not believe that any part of her involvement with us was an act," said Lillie.

"I know you weren't there, but she fooled all of us before!" said Korrina. "Did she tell you about _that?"_

Lillie hesitated for a moment to collect herself.

"I am aware of what happened when she first encountered you all in Monego City," she said.

"Then you know that she _lied_ to all of us!" said Korrina.

"I also know that she attempted to make reparations for what she did," said Lillie. "Unless she is the greatest actress in the world, her feelings of regret about the tactics she used are sincere."

"And I bet I know who she learned those tactics from," said Korrina. "She did the same kind of stuff she says Palermo does! She tricked Serena!"

Korrina pointed at Serena as if presenting a damning piece of evidence before a court. Serena shifted awkwardly and bit down on her lip for a moment.

"She was _very_ sorry about that," said Serena.

"Anyone can say that they're sorry about something," said Korrina. She locked onto Serena's eyes. "It doesn't have to _mean _anything."

Serena felt her stomach momentarily lurch as if punched in the gut. She doubted Korrina understood how relevant her words were.

"I second Serena's statement," said Lillie. "Aria may be uniquely capable of obscuring her feelings and presenting a façade to others, but I don't believe that the feelings she expressed to me were in any way a lie."

"And what makes you so sure about that?" said Korrina.

"I... don't know if you ever saw it, but Aria drops her façade sometimes," said Lillie. She looked at Serena. "She does it... when she's with people that she _loves."_

Serena wanted to curl up into a ball and vanish. She winced at the awkwardness as all eyes fell upon her. Clemont gestured in her direction.

"You were closer to Aria than anyone else here, I think," said Clemont. He hesitated for a moment before he continued. "Perhaps this is too personal a question, but I think it's of some strategic importance for us now. Do you believe that Aria's feelings for you were completely sincere?

Serena covered her face with both hands and let out a puff of air in embarrassment. When she uncovered her face a few seconds later, she pursed her lips for a moment, then met Clemont's eyes.

"Yes," she said with a nod. "I do."

"Again, I support Serena's view," said Lillie. "Aria did not express any romantic feelings toward me, but her friendship with me appeared to be completely genuine. I trust her."

Serena looked away from Lillie. She knew firsthand that if Aria had in fact deceived them, it would not be the first time an apparently genuine friend had betrayed Lillie's trust.

Tight-faced, Korrina pulled one knee up to her chest and rested her arm on top of it, looking away. In the silence that followed, Ash audibly scratched his head.

Bonnie stood up.

"So?" she said, holding out her arms in expectation of an explanation. "What are we gonna do?"

"I'm not sure," said Clemont.

"We can't just sit here!" said Bonnie.

"We may be forced to, considering the weather conditions expected tonight," said Clemont. "Even if Aria were still here with us, we likely would not have enough time to evacuate her from Kalos before the snow begins."

"So? We should do something before it snows!" said Bonnie.

"We shouldn't be hasty about this," said Clemont. "This is a serious situation."

"Oh, come on!" said Bonnie. "We can't just do nothing!"

"The trouble is that it is not clear what exactly we _can _do," said Clemont. "The most obvious course of action would be to attempt to rescue Aria, but it's unclear how we would do such a thing."

"Palermo lives in some kind of mansion, right?" said Ash.

Korrina nodded. She looked up at him.

"Yeah, she does," she said. "Serena and I have both been there."

"Can't we just break in or something?" he said.

Serena shook her head.

"I don't think that would work," she said.

"Why not?" said Ash.

"The place is really secure," said Serena. "There's a huge gate, and I'm sure there are cameras. She would see us coming."

"Guards, too," said Korrina. "I saw them before you showed up."

"They can't stop all of us!" said Ash.

"If whatever security detail Palermo has cannot stop all of us, I'm confident that the Lumiose City police can," said Clemont. "Likewise, I am confident that the police would arrive to stop us in a matter of minutes, and we would all surely be arrested and charged with trespassing, at a minimum. To the rest of the world, that's exactly what it would appear we are doing."

"It's exactly like Aria said," said Lillie. "Palermo has the law and the press on her side. She wouldn't have to do anything herself to stop us. Everything is already in her favor."

With his chin in his hand, Clemont nodded.

"Hmm, indeed," he said. "If Aria truly is back in her custody, Palermo is probably preparing some sort of press release about her return as we speak. If we were to rescue Aria from her, it would appear to the general public that we had _abducted _her. She could probably then frame us for having held Aria hostage for the last two months. I'm certain she has evidence that Aria was here the whole time. We'd be lucky to escape a prison sentence."

Ash folded his hands behind his neck and looked up at the ceiling for a while, thinking.

"What if the police couldn't get there?" he said.

"I'm not sure I understand what you mean," said Clemont. "Are you suggesting a diversion of some sort? That would probably get us in even more trouble with law enforcement than attacking Palermo directly."

Ash let his hands down and stuffed them into his pockets. He looked at Clemont and shook his head.

"Nah, that's not what I mean," he said. "I mean the weather. You said it was gonna snow, right?"

"Yes, that's right," Clemont said with a nod. "Not until later in the day, though. We have several hours until the precipitation is due to start."

"That's when we should go," said Ash. "We can use the snow to our advantage. It's gonna be tough for cars to drive, but we can still get to Palermo's mansion on foot! It'll give us more time."

With his mouth hanging slightly open, Clemont stared at Ash. He blinked a few times.

"I'm... not so certain about that," said Clemont. "For one, we wouldn't be able to effectively escape with Aria even if everything went according to plan. Furthermore, there's a great deal of uncertainty in the forecast. It's not yet clear exactly when the snow will begin. Based on the current track of the storm, Lumiose City sits on the border between warm and cold air masses. The snow won't begin until the colder airmass pushes the warmer one out of the way, but the warm airmass is blocked by a stationary front to the east, and-"

"Oh, come on!" said Bonnie. "Do you have a _better _plan?"

"Well, no, but I have legitimate concerns!" said Clemont. "There are far too many variables in this plan that would have to be left up to chance!"

"I agree that this plan sounds risky, but it may be the best chance we have," said Lillie. "I think you raised a very important point about what Palermo might be planning to do next. Maybe she has Aria and that's all she wants, but she probably isn't comfortable with there being a group of trainers with a regional champion and two gym leaders among them who know her secrets. If the things Aria told us about her are true, Palermo probably _is_ planning to frame us in some way. For her own protection, she can't let us escape."

A grim hush came over the room. Lillie folded her hands and pursed her lips, staring down at the floor. No one spoke for a while.

"We've gotta fight her," said Ash.

Korrina sighed. She flopped backward onto the bed again with her hands behind her head.

"We really do, don't we?" she said.

"I want to arrive at a different conclusion, but all evidence suggests that a direct confrontation is unavoidable," said Clemont. He took off his glasses and rubbed his forehead. "Unfortunately, I fear that this may be exactly what Palermo wants us to do."

Serena's stomach squirmed. She felt the same fear.

* * *

The next several hours were tense. An uneasy silence permeated the house, only rarely interrupted by the sounds of preparation. There was little more for everyone to do than pack their bags and wait. Serena tried to eat, but she found that her appetite had gone missing. She made tea and took only a few sips from it before she realized two hours had passed and it had gone cold.

She sat on the edge of her bed with her bag in her lap. After dumping its contents out on the bed, she had sifted through the rubble and tried to eliminate everything except the items she truly needed. There wasn't much aside from her Poké Balls and her pair of boots. The boots were bulky enough that she decided they would slow her down too much if she wore them, and that she would rather carry them and put them on later if necessary.

Among the remaining objects scattered on the bed, she found one that stood out above all the rest – the handkerchief. She wasn't sure what use it would be, but it was lightweight enough that it didn't seem like it would be a problem to carry it. She tucked it safely into one of the pockets in her bag, deep inside.

Outside, the gray sky hung low and sickly overhead like a sheet of steel, looking like it would collapse any minute in anticipation. Cold wind tossed about sporadic mist, every now and then splattering against the window. Serena eyed a garment she had long since abandoned. Aria's scarf hung from the corner of the bed. The longer she stared at it, the more Serena became convinced that not only was there a draft in the room, but that it was blowing directly on the back of her neck. Begrudgingly, she took the scarf and began wrapping it around her neck.

As she did, the door opened. Lillie stepped inside. Ribombee buzzed in after her.

"Oh, good idea," said Lillie, her eyes landing on Serena. "We'll need to do everything we can to stay warm, I think."

Serena looked down at the lengths of the scarf in her hands for a moment.

"Yeah, we will," she said. "It feels weird, but I guess it makes sense that I would wear this while we try to save Aria, doesn't it?"

"There is something poetic about it, I suppose," said Lillie. She frowned and looked out the window. "In fact, I would say that it feels as though it were always meant to be."

Serena wrapped the scarf around her neck one last time and tightened both ends.

"What makes you say that?" said Serena.

"I... worry that I may have made a mistake," said Lillie. She frowned and looked down at her feet. "I'm beginning to get the impression that I may not be a very good judge of character. I've put my trust in a lot of people I never should have trusted at all."

Serena went stone-faced, trying to show no reaction at all to Lillie's words. Whether Lillie meant it or not, Serena knew she deserved to be included in the list of people who had abused Lillie's trust.

"I'm worried that Korrina may have a point," said Lillie. "I _do _trust Aria, but I'm not sure if I should. I'm not used to being able to trust others, and I'm so new to having friends that I'm never sure how to tell whether or not I _should _trust someone."

"I'm... sorry for that," said Serena.

Lillie glanced up at Serena and quickly shook her head.

"Oh, no, no!" said Lillie. "It's not your fault at all!"

"I was your first friend and I betrayed your trust as badly as possible," said Serena. "I _definitely_ have something to do with it and you should let me own up to it. I'm not innocent, no matter how much you want to forgive me."

"Regardless of your culpability, I think you'll agree that this situation is a bit much for me to navigate when I'm so new to having friends," said Lillie. "I'm rather overwhelmed by it all."

"Me too."

"The thing is, you seem to handle pressure better than I do."

Serena snorted.

"Are you _serious?" _she said.

"Very much so," said Lillie. "You're much better at taking action than I am."

"I really doubt it."

"I know it to be true," said Lillie. "You doubt yourself because you think you're not strong enough. I... actually _am _weak."

Serena narrowed her eyes.

"You're one of the strongest people I know," she said. "It takes incredible strength for you to think about life the way you do after everything you've been through!"

"While you flatter me, that's not quite what I mean," said Lillie. "Given the circumstances we are about to face, the strength that I'm referring to is in battle."

"Oh."

Serena deflated a bit while Lillie hid her eyes. Her giant, floppy hat was gone, but the habit associated with it was not.

"That's why I need to ask you something," said Lillie. She extended a finger like a perch, and Ribombee landed on it.

"What is it?" said Serena. She met Ribombee's dewy eyes, and the two of them gazed at each other in silence for a moment.

"You have Ribombee's Poké Ball, don't you?" said Lillie.

It took Serena a moment to realize what Lillie was suggesting. There were four Poké Balls in her bag. One of them was empty, as it had been since the day Lillie arrived. Serena reached into her bag and pulled it out.

"I do," said Serena.

"I never kept her in a ball," said Lillie. "I wasn't a trainer back then. When she stowed away in your spare Poké Ball with my note to you, she captured herself. As much as I love her, she's technically _your _Pokémon."

Ribombee tilted her head and looked up at Lillie, seemingly unsure of what was happening.

"Lillie, I can't-" Serena started. She cut herself off and shook her head. "I can't keep her. There's no way. It wouldn't be right."

"As much as she can belong to anyone, she belongs to you," said Lillie.

"No, no way," said Serena. She shook her head again. She held out the empty Poké Ball in her hand and attempted to give it to Lillie. "You can keep her. Here!"

Lillie pushed Serena's hand away.

"I cannot," said Lillie. "At least, not for tonight."

"Tonight?"

"You're a much more experienced trainer than I am," said Lillie. "I don't want it to come to this, but if Ribombee is forced into battle tonight, she should be under your command."

Ribombee glanced between the two of them. She looked nervous.

"Lillie..."

"Please," said Lillie. "I know that neither one of us can guarantee her safety, but I also know that you can put her abilities to much better use than I can. I'm terribly afraid that we are going to need all the help we can possibly get. I'm not asking you simply because of my fears, though. I'm asking you because it's for the good of _everyone."_

Serena thought for a while. While she tried to suppress the fear bubbling inside her own stomach, a stern look settled into her face. She met Lillie's eyes and held her gaze.

"I'll do my best," she said.

Serena gently pressed the button on the Poké Ball to Ribombee's forehead. In a flash of light, Ribombee disappeared inside.

"Thank you," said Lillie. She bowed her head graciously.

Serena silently hoped that she wasn't about to betray Lillie's trust once again.

* * *

Hours later, as the dim, obscured sun began to encroach upon the horizon, they departed. Their departure was delayed by Clemont's increasing panic that the snow was not going to arrive on time. Again and again, he fretted over the positioning of the cold front, concerned that it would arrive too late for any snow to fall at all. When they eventually left, there was no snow on the ground, but a few sparse flurries whirled about in the wind. Clemont insisted that they were leaving too soon, but no one else had the patience to wait any longer.

And so, the six of them collectively headed out into the streets of Lumiose City. Korrina led the way, with Ash right behind her. Bonnie brought up the rear, urging Clemont and Lillie along. Serena was in the middle, trailing behind Ash. Traffic was much lighter than normal, the streets mostly empty as everyone in the city seemed to have run to hide indoors, away from the storm. All was eerily quiet as they turned one final corner toward the river.

Serena grimaced as the wind pummeled her face and stung her eyes. Palermo's mansion loomed in the distance. The light from the late afternoon sun glared off the windows. The black iron and white marble seemed even more impenetrable in the daylight than it had at night.

"There it is, up ahead!" Korrina called back to everyone else, pointing at their destination. She then ran ahead, crossing the final street that separated them.

When Serena reached the street corner from which she had watched Korrina's crushing defeat, she noticed the mailbox there and stopped. There it still stood, like a signpost signaling the last vestige of safety. One step further, and she would be past the point of no return.

Up ahead, Ash stopped at the curb. Serena let her gaze linger on the mailbox for a moment longer, then passed it and walked up next to Ash. He gazed at the fortress ahead.

"So this is it, huh?" he said.

"Yes," said Serena. "This is it."

"I see why everyone said it would be so tough to break in," said Ash.

"Yeah."

"Yeah."

Neither one said anything for a while. Serena held a hand up toward her chest, then gripped her scarf with her icy fingers. Realizing how stiff they felt, she formed a fist and blew warm air onto them. Ash looked over at her while she rubbed her frigid hands together.

"You nervous?" he said.

"Very," Serena said, nodding.

"Me too," he said. "In a good way!"

"I'm definitely _not _nervous in a good way," said Serena. "I... I think we may be in over our heads, just like Aria said we would be."

"I've been in over my head more times than I can count," said Ash.

"I know," said Serena. "I was there for a lot of those times. This feels different, somehow. I don't know why. I can't really explain it."

Serena closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head.

"Maybe I'm overthinking all of this," she said. "I don't know anymore. I just want this to all be over. I don't want anyone else to get hurt."

Ash shrugged.

"I think we'll be fine," he said. "I've done crazier things than this and been okay. Everything just kinda works out in the end, you know?"

"Ash."

Without thinking, Serena reached out to him. She placed her hand on his arm. Their eyes met.

"Please promise me something," said Serena.

"What?" said Ash.

"Please, promise me that if this doesn't work and we're all going to get in huge trouble, that you'll get out of here," said Serena. "Save yourself. If Aria was right and we're all going to end up in jail for this, don't join us. Don't throw your life away for this. You're too important. There's still so much good left for you to do. The world needs you. Don't worry about the rest of us. Especially... _me."_

"Huh?"

"I'm... _not_ important," said Serena. "I'm not an amazing trainer or performer, or much of anything, really. I'm just a girl with a crush who made some mistakes and ended up in a crazy situation because of them. I-"

"You're wrong."

Ash gave her a sharp look. His eyes fierce, he looked as serious as Serena had ever seen him. But before he could say anything more, someone else spoke.

"So, this is the place?"

Lillie approached from behind, her eyes lingering on the mansion. Behind her, Clemont and Bonnie followed and then came to a stop.

"We need to find cover," said Clemont. "We should keep a low profile until the weather turns in our favor. We mustn't make our move too early. Stealth will be the key if we are to be successful."

_"Hey! Open the gate!"_

Across the street, Korrina banged her fists on the iron bars of the gate. Clemont groaned. His shoulders sank.

"So much for subtlety," he said, holding a palm to his forehead.

Lillie gave Clemont a confused look.

"I don't know Korrina that well, but I was under the impression that she is not particularly subtle about anything," she said.

"Nope!" said Bonnie. "That's why she's so great for him, though! If she didn't take charge for him, he'd never do anything."

"That's completely false, and you know it," said Clemont.

Bonnie confidently shut her eyes and shook her head.

"You're only here because of her, and _you_ know it," she said.

"I-"

Clemont hung his head.

"I concede defeat," he said.

Across the street, Korrina stood in front of the gate with her hands on her hips, glaring at it.

"Don't make me hit this thing again!" said Korrina. "I'll tear it down if I have to!"

There was an electric crackle, followed by the faintly metallic sound of a familiar voice speaking over an intercom.

_"That will not be necessary, mademoiselle. Your patience for just a moment, please. You and your friends may enter."_

Korrina gawked up at the intercom speaker. Serena's stomach made a noise that she hoped no one else heard. Either they had already been spotted, or they had been expected. Possibly both.

"Are they gonna let us in?" said Ash.

"Sounds like it," said Bonnie.

"Let's go!"

Ash ran out into the abandoned street. A few seconds later, everyone else followed. They all gathered in front of the gate with Korrina. The motor flared to life, and the gate slowly began to slide out of the way.

"I can't believe that worked!" said Korrina, beaming with pride as everyone else approached.

"I can," said Clemont. "You gave away our position! This was supposed to be a stealth mission!"

"Oh, come on," said Korrina. "There was no way she wasn't going to see us. This place is covered with cameras!"

Serena looked up and saw a camera mounted over the intercom speaker. It pointed directly at her. She saw the lens turn.

On the other side of the gate, all the way across the courtyard, the front door of the mansion opened. Monsieur Pierre stepped through it, with Klefki floating beside him. He closed the door behind him, then proceeded down the front steps. Walking stiffly with his arms tucked behind his back, he crossed the courtyard and approached the gate.

The gate came to a halt, fully open. Monsieur Pierre stopped a few steps short, facing everyone. He gave them a curt nod.

"Good evening," he said. "You are here to seek an audience with Madame Palermo, I presume?"

"Yes, obviously," said Korrina. She leered at Monsieur Pierre, her arms folded.

Monsieur Pierre glanced at Korrina.

"Mademoiselle, I regret to inform you that Madame Palermo is not interested in hosting a rematch with you," he said. "Rather, there is only one among you who she intends to entertain this evening."

"Well, too bad!" said Korrina. "We're all here! I've got help this time, and we're not leaving without a fight!"

Monsieur Pierre gave Korrina a disdainful look, and then his eyes landed squarely on Serena.

"Mademoiselle Serena is the only one who I am permitted to allow entrance inside," he said.

Serena's lips parted, and her eyes widened as she looked up at Monsieur Pierre.

"Me?" she said.

"Correct, mademoiselle."

"Aw, come on, you really expect us to fall for that?" said Korrina. "It's an obvious trap!"

"Yeah, there's no way we're letting Serena go inside alone!" said Ash, stepping forward. "Even if you don't let us in, we'll fight our way in! There's no way you can stop all of us!"

"You are correct that I cannot stop all of you, but there will be no need for you to use force to enter," said Pierre. "Madame Palermo only wishes to speak to Mademoiselle Serena, nothing more. No harm shall come of her."

"Yeah right!" said Bonnie. "Why should we believe you?"

"I may be many things, mademoiselle, but a liar is not among them," said Pierre.

Bonnie scoffed.

"What are you, some kind of cartoon character?"

"I am the attendant to the Kalos Queen and majordomo to Madame Palermo."

"Major _what?" _said Bonnie.

"It is my duty, mademoiselle, to act in the best interests of the Kalos Queen on her behalf. Likewise, it is also my duty to run Madame Palermo's household in accordance with her wishes. As such, I may only permit Mademoiselle Serena to enter the household tonight. The rest of you may enter the courtyard, but I cannot allow you any further."

Serena looked around and saw everyone exchanging uncertain glances. No one seemed to know what to do. She noticed Monsieur Pierre staring at her, waiting for a response. She looked up at him and took a step forward.

"I'll go," she said.

"What?" said Korrina. "You can't be serious!"

"I'll do it," said Serena. "I'll go in. I'd rather settle this on my own, without a fight. The rest of you stay out here and wait for me, okay?"

"Serena, are you certain about this?" said Lillie.

"Consider what may happen if you continue with this course of action," said Clemont. "We have no reason whatsoever to trust Palermo. Regardless of what we are told, we have every reason to believe that you will be in grave danger by yourself!"

"Serena?"

Serena met eyes with Ash. He was disbelieving, uncertain. Serena nodded at him.

"I know he can't stop you," she said. "If I don't come back, well... just break in. I know you can."

"Again, I assure you, such measures will not be necessary," said Pierre.

Ash steeled himself. He nodded.

"Be careful," he said.

"Are we agreed, then?" said Pierre.

"Yes," said Serena.

"Very well. This way, if you please."

For a few steps, everyone walked together through the gate into the courtyard. Then, Serena and Monsieur Pierre broke free from the rest of the group. Alone, the two of them proceeded their way up the walk and toward the front steps. Pierre's shoes clacked on the paving stones, the only sound interrupting the silence.

Past every hedge and statue along the way, Serena turned her head, searching for any sign of a trap. She found nothing at all. There was no one waiting to jump out, nor any indication of anything out of place. The only thing truly out of place was her.

She followed Monsieur Pierre up the steps, then stopped while he turned the doorknob and pulled open the giant, oaken door.

"Please, this way."

He bowed, then ushered her inside. Serena took one last moment to prepare herself, then stepped through the door.

Inside, she was greeted by dazzling light and the sound of her footsteps echoing on the marble floor. She craned her neck upward in awe. She stood inside a cavernous atrium. The glass dome ceiling stood four stories overhead. Everything in sight that was not shining marble was gleaming gold. Chandeliers dangled on chains from high above, filling the massive entryway with light. Tapestries hung from the walls, interspersed with elaborate paintings. Twin marble staircases flanked the hallway ahead, both leading to a balcony above. Above there, additional levels loomed beyond.

Serena couldn't even begin to imagine the value of the place. She wondered if the room in which she stood was by itself worth more than everything in Vaniville Town combined. She decided it probably was.

She turned around and saw Monsieur Pierre still in the doorway.

"Madame Palermo is presently occupied with another visitor, but she has been notified of your arrival and will be with you shortly," he said. "If you will excuse me, I must return to your friends in the courtyard."

Monsieur Pierre bowed, then stepped back outside and closed the door behind him. The sound echoed through the atrium.

A moment later, Serena heard another sound. Outside, Klefki jingled. The lock turned on the door.

She froze. She was locked inside.

A brief panic shot through her heart. Stunned, she tried and failed to comprehend what had just happened. She wasn't sure if what she had done was courageous or phenomenally stupid. She clenched her fists and felt sweat on her palms. She wondered if she had willingly walked into a trap, or thrown everything away for no good reason. Had she just sacrificed herself for nothing on a split-second decision?

She bit down on her lip and looked around. The atrium was ominously beautiful, a blatant juxtaposition with its owner. Or perhaps, from a different perspective, a perfect mirror. The appearance was all superficial.

Serena flinched in fright as she heard a door open from somewhere rather far away. The sound echoed all around, reflecting off the solid marble surfaces again and again. Footsteps followed, all equally confusing. It was impossible to determine their origin. Serena looked around in all directions, failing to find any sign of anyone.

She jumped in surprise again when she heard a voice from above.

"You shouldn't have come here."

Serena's head and eyes shot upward. Aria stood behind the balcony railing on the second floor.

"I did everything I could to make it clear how dangerous this was," said Aria. "You should have listened."

"Aria!"

Serena's call echoed through the cavernous hall. From above, Aria met her eyes. Aria's face was joyless, her eyes heavy. As she held Serena's gaze, her expression did not change.

"I tried to save you all from this," said Aria. "It was the only thing I could do. Why couldn't you just let me go?"

"Because I care about you!"

"Evidently not enough to listen to my warnings."

"I _loved _you!"

Aria grimaced.

"Don't use that word," she said.

"I'll use it if I want to, because it's true!" said Serena. "That was how I felt about you, and I know that things can't ever be the same now, but I still care about you! We all do!"

"You don't get it," said Aria. "None of you do. No matter how many times I tried to tell you, you don't understand what you're dealing with."

"How could you just run back here to her after everything you've been through?" said Serena. "It doesn't make sense!"

"It doesn't make sense to you because you haven't had your hopes and dreams ground down to _dust _by her!" said Aria. "You don't understand how _hopeless_ this has always been! You don't understand what she can do to you. She will _burn_ you. She'll burn all of you. She'll even make you disappear, if that's what it takes."

Something about Aria's phrasing unsettled Serena.

"How can you give up like this after everything that's happened?" said Serena. "You did everything you could to resist her for so long! Why won't you fight back now that you have friends on your side?"

"Because she's _still _going to win!" said Aria. "She _always _does!"

"That's no reason to just _give up!" _said Serena. "This isn't over yet!"

"Leave your stupid promise with your childhood crush out of this!"

Aria gripped the railing up above, her knuckles white. She glared down at Serena. Serena returned the glare in kind.

"There's nothing _stupid _about it!" said Serena.

"Oh? And how much trouble have you made for yourself because you refused to give up, no matter what?" said Aria. "Look at where you are right now!"

"I'm here because I care about you, and I care about all of my friends!" said Serena. "You're not going to change that by telling me we can't win, and I'm not going to give up on fighting for the people I _love!"_

"I told you not to use that word!"

"I'll use it as much as I want, because it's true!" said Serena. "Whether or not things will ever be okay between the two of us again, even though we can't ever be together again, my feelings for you are still real! I didn't just stop caring about you because we broke up!"

"This would all be a lot easier if you had," said Aria.

"That's not how love and friendship work!"

"I tried to separate from you all!" said Aria. "I tried to protect you all from this!"

"I'm not going to let you do this, Aria!"

Something inside Aria's face twitched. Her lips parted, exposing her teeth. Her face tightened in anger. Through clenched teeth, she sputtered only the very beginnings of a word before it lost all form and collapsed into the sounds of frustration.

Then, she reached for a Poké Ball.

Without thinking, Serena reacted in a mere fraction of a second. Driven by instinct, she jammed her hand into her bag, found Delphox's Poké Ball as if pulled to it like a magnet, and threw it into the air.

An explosion followed. At the same time, both Aria's Delphox and Serena's Delphox materialized in a flash of light. Without command, both of them fired upon the other. A fireball flared and then erupted inside the atrium, bathing everything in intense heat and light. Serena held an arm up to shield her eyes as the shock wave blasted past her.

When she opened her eyes again a few moments later, the only sign that anything had happened was from the haze of smoke lingering in the air. Up above, Aria's Delphox stood atop the balcony railing. Serena's Delphox levitated in front of her, hovering at eye level. The two of them both held their wands at the ready, pointed at each other.

"Aria, why?!"

Her fists clenched, Serena shouted up at Aria from below. Aria held her sharp gaze on Serena, but said nothing.

"I'm trying to help you!" said Serena. "Why won't you let me?! You _need _it!"

"I don't want your help!" said Aria. "I don't want _anyone's _help!"

"You cried in my arms asking for my help!" said Serena. "You told me you needed a hero! You told me _I _was your hero!"

Aria's face flared with anger again.

"Fire Blast!"

Aria's Delphox growled, then shot a blast of flame from her mouth. In turn, without a command, Serena's Delphox did the same. Once again, Serena shielded her eyes from the exploding fireball, the chains of the chandeliers rattling high above.

This time, when Serena opened her eyes there was much more smoke. The carpet leading to the hall was singed black, with fumes steadily rising from it. The smell of burning fiber hung in the air.

"Aria, stop!"

"Again!"

Serena ran for the stairs. Before she could make it, she dropped to the floor and covered her head as another explosion of flame erupted overhead. When she stumbled back to her feet again, she saw smoke rising from the front door rug.

As fast as her feet would carry her, she ran up the stairs. Once more on her way up, she ducked to avoid the flames. Her own Delphox advanced, moving forward through the air. Aria's Delphox retreated, hopping down from the balcony railing and backing up into the hall. When Serena reached the top, her Delphox already had both feet on the ground on the second floor. The two Pokémon faced each other in the center of the hall, separating their two trainers.

"Aria, don't do this!" said Serena. "I don't want to fight you!"

"Then stop making me fight you!"

"I'm _not!"_

"Yes, you are! I told you to stay out of this and you won't!"

"Fighting me doesn't fix that!"

"It's the only thing I can do!"

"No, it isn't!"

"Yes, _it is!"_

Aria's reply escalated into a shout. Serena saw her shake as the words left her mouth.

"I told you that the only thing Palermo hadn't taken from me was my dignity!" said Aria. "The only thing I had left was my ability to defy her! That was the _only _bit of free will I had! And now, I've become just another damsel in distress for you and your friends! I don't even need _Ash _to be involved to be reduced to nothing more than an object you all have to save! _You're _doing that all on your own!"

"You're not an object!" said Serena. "Why do you think I see you that way? You even told me that I was the only person who saw you for who you really are!"

"Then what am I to you?"

Serena shook her head as though Aria's question made no sense.

"You're Aria."

"That's not an answer!"

"It's the only answer!"

"Flamethrower!"

Serena hurried to take a step back as Aria's Delphox fired again, this time shooting a jet of flame from her wand. Serena's Delphox matched the attack, blocking it with a Flamethrower of her own. The two jets of flame collided halfway between the two of them and splashed off each other, creating a temporary wall of fire. When it faded, the plastic leaves of a fake plant in a vase were left smoldering.

The smell was noxious. Serena coughed.

"What are you doing?" said Serena. "Fighting me isn't going to help anything! Palermo isn't going to have a chance to _burn _me if you burn us both alive first!"

"Just stop," said Aria. "Stop it. Leave. Now, while you still can."

"Monsieur Pierre locked the door behind me!"

"Do you really think you can't get out?" said Aria. "He locked it to keep everyone else from coming in! What kind of front door would lock someone inside?"

Serena's face fell slack in surprise. She blinked a couple of times.

"Wait. You know that everyone else is here?"

"Of course I do!" said Aria. "It's exactly like Palermo planned!"

"She... _planned _this?"

"Yes! That's why you need to stop this! If you get out of here _right now, _then _maybe _things won't go according to her plan!"

"Why are you fighting me, then?" said Serena. "Why didn't you just tell me that? We could have both just left already, together!"

"Because I can't go with you."

"What? Why not?"

"Because she'll go after you all again," said Aria. "She won't stop. If I go with you, none of you will ever be safe. She'll destroy your lives."

Serena bit down on her lip and looked aside for a moment. She exhaled sharply.

"I can't just leave you here!" she said.

"You have to," said Aria. "Get out, now! Before it's too late!"

"Maybe you think it's hopeless, and maybe it really is, but I'm not afraid to fight for you!" said Serena. "Our friends aren't afraid, either!"

"Just go."

"We can get you out of here," said Serena. "The Aether Foundation's jet should be here by now. All we have to do is protect you until the storm passes, and then you'll be free!"

"I won't be free at all!" said Aria. "That place was Lillie's personal prison! If I go there, I won't be able to leave for as long as Palermo lives! It will become my prison, too!"

"It has to be better than her exploiting and abusing you!"

"And you all will likely be forced to permanently exile yourselves there, too, because you're going to end up in an _actual _prison if you try to fight Palermo!"

"Being stuck there in the middle of the ocean with you would still be better than living here in fear."

"I can't ask you all to do that for me!" said Aria. "I'm not worth it!"

"You're worth it to me!"

"The only reason you're so willing to do any of this is because you think that you're not worth anything yourself!"

"I-"

Serena bit her tongue. Not even fifteen minutes ago, she had told Ash almost precisely that.

"So go, _now," _said Aria.

Serena shook her head.

"No."

"Go, before I _make you _leave."

"I won't."

"Fire Blast!"

Serena scrambled several steps backward before throwing herself onto the floor and covering her head. In the tighter corridors of the hall, the intensity of the ensuing fireball and explosion was magnified. The billowing fire was funneled down the hall, and it swept over her. Her eyes shut tight, she grimaced as the heat from the blast lashed her with searing pain.

When it passed, she opened her eyes and lay prone for a few seconds. Taking heavy breaths, she saw the white marble charred black, and tongues of flame dancing on the rug that lined the hall. She looked over her shoulder to confirm that she herself was not on fire, then sprang up to her feet.

"That's _enough!" _Serena shouted, her fists clenched and quivering.

"Again!"

Aria's Delphox fired another blast. This time, Serena's Delphox did not respond in kind. Instead, her eyes flared with indigo light, and she waved her wand. With a wide, sweeping motion, she intercepted the incoming blast and dispersed it, as if scattering it to the wind.

The seconds that followed were deafeningly quiet. Aria's momentary astonishment soon gave way to anger once again. To Serena's surprise, Aria's Delphox not only mirrored Aria's emotions, but showed them even more intensely.

Aria said nothing, but her Delphox moved. She raised her wand and shot another Flamethrower at Serena's Delphox. Calmly, Serena's Delphox flourished her wand and swept the Flamethrower out of the way. The jet of flame scattered off the marble wall, leaving behind nothing more than a charred black spot.

Aria's Delphox roared. A wild melee ensued.

As quickly as she could, Aria's Delphox fired off attack after attack in a frenzy of flames, sending blistering fire streaming in every direction. Serena watched in stunned silence as her own Delphox responded with comparatively mystifying grace, calmly but swiftly sweeping and spinning around as if choreographing a dance inside the fire. With every twist and turn and flick of her wand, Serena's Delphox swept the flames away, making them dissipate into thin air.

The assault came to an end when Aria's Delphox staggered backward and gasped for air. Heaving for breath, she glared at her opponent, fangs bared. Serena's Delphox took a step forward.

Then, Aria's Delphox reared back and set the world on fire.

Yet again, Serena threw herself to the ground, this time behind her own Delphox. She was convinced she felt the floor shake from the raw power. The blast roared down the hall, blowing away the decorations on the walls and toppling statues and vases. And yet, despite the cacophony, Serena opened her eyes when she realized something.

She didn't feel any heat.

Serena looked up, and she saw her Delphox projecting some sort of shield from her wand, enclosing them both in a bubble. In disbelief, Serena rose to her feet.

The blast had faded, but the flames had not. Everything combustible had finally succumbed. The hall was engulfed in an inferno. There was no sign of Aria or her Delphox, both of them obscured from sight by the towering wall of flames ahead.

Serena's Delphox stepped forward. Serena followed, not wanting to accidentally slip outside the shield.

To her horror, when Delphox stopped, she let the shield down.

Serena only had enough time to gasp before she saw what Delphox did next. With both hands held up as if throwing open the doors of a wardrobe, Delphox parted the sea of fire.

Feeling the flames lashing at her back, Serena's astonishment lasted only a moment before survival instinct took over and she ran through the tunnel Delphox had created. It was not until she arrived on the far side that she realized what awaited her.

Aria's Delphox was doubled over on all fours, out of breath and exhausted. Aria herself knelt beside her, a hand on her back. Serena and her own Delphox stood awkwardly over the two of them.

Aria looked up. Behind Serena, the wall of fire closed again. Aria closed her eyes, and she held her Delphox close, pressing her forehead against Delphox's shoulder.

"I'm so sorry," she said. "I know you did your best. We both did."

Aria pulled out a Poké Ball once again. She pressed it to her Delphox's back. Her Delphox vanished a moment later, drawn back into the ball. On her knees, Aria sighed, then looked up at Serena.

"I'm so, so sorry," said Aria.

"We've got to get out of here!" said Serena.

"_You_ need to," said Aria. "I'm staying here."

"Are you _insane?"_ said Serena.

"This place isn't going to burn down," said Aria. "I'll be fine."

"Come on!"

Serena swiped a hand down at Aria and grabbed her by the arm. Aria pulled away.

"Stop!" said Aria. "I'm not going with you!"

"You'll _die _if you stay here!"

Serena grabbed Aria's arm again. This time, Aria shoved her away.

"I said _stop!"_

"You're going to get yourself killed!"

"So what?" said Aria. "It would probably be better that way."

"Aria!"

"Go! Forget about me!"

"I will _never _forget about you!"

"You don't need me!" said Aria.

"Yes, I do!"

"No, you don't! Nobody does!"

"I _do _need you!"

_"No you don't!"_

Aria's piercing shout brought momentary silence to the hall in its wake. Serena froze. Aria seethed, quivering with anger.

"I've been trying to show you that the _entire time!"_ said Aria. "You define yourself by the other people in your life! You don't need _anyone, _but you refuse to see it! That's what holds you back!"

"But... I care about you!"

"Don't you _dare _define my worth based on what I'm worth to you!"

"I... I didn't mean to hurt you!" said Serena. "I never wanted to-"

"I _know _that, and it's _not fair!"_

"Huh?"

Aria clenched her fists, then sank to all fours. With her eyes clenched shut, she beat her fists on the floor and screamed.

_"It's not fair!"_

Her face pressed to the floor, Aria covered her head with her hands and sobbed.

Serena averted her eyes. She gazed at her feet. Her stomach churned. Aria shook as she cried.

"No, it's not," Serena said, much quieter than before. "I... wish I could fix it. I don't know if I can."

Aria sobbed for a while longer before trying to speak. When she did, her voice was twisted and waterlogged.

"I just wanted a girlfriend, and my own friends, and my own _life! _Why can't I have that?"

Serena assumed that _Palermo_ was too obvious an answer.

What was also too obvious was how right Aria was. It wasn't fair. Nothing was fair. The fact that life wasn't fair was practically a cliché. For the first time, though, Serena felt like she truly understood what it meant.

She had nothing to say. There was nothing she could say. There was no way she could fix it, no way she could make it better, no way she could change anything.

Before she could make a fool out of herself by trying to say something meaningful, the flames roared and lashed at her back. Serena scurried a few steps forward, trying to escape their reach. The end of the hallway was not far ahead.

"We've got to get out of here," said Serena. She leaned over by Aria's side and placed a hand on her shoulder. Aria swatted her hand away.

"Leave me. Go. Just go."

"Absolutely not!"

Serena seized Aria by the wrist and pulled. Aria stumbled forward. Her head snapped up to glare at Serena, livid.

"I said-"

"I don't care what you said!" said Serena. "I don't care what you think about it! I care about you too much to leave you behind. This has _nothing _to do with me needing you for anything and _everything _to do with you deserving better than this. I don't care if I have to drag you the entire way! I am _not _leaving you behind! That's _final!"_

Aria stared at Serena for a second, then snatched her wrist away from Serena's grip.

"Fine," she said, rising to her feet. She refused to meet Serena's eyes. "This way, then."

Aria led Serena and Delphox to the end of the hall and pushed open a door that looked like it was a closet. It was dark inside. Aria stepped inside it and flipped a switch on the wall.

Serena raised an eyebrow. It _was _a closet.

"Huh?" she said.

"There's roof access in here," said Aria. "Look."

Aria pointed to the far side of the closet, a portion of the opposite wall hidden from sight from outside. A ladder led to unseen heights above.

"Can't we go _down?"_ said Serena.

"The only way to reach the first floor from here is the staircases in the atrium," said Aria. "I don't know about you, but I don't want to try to get there, even with your Delphox's protection."

"How are we going to get down from the roof, though?" said Serena. "Is there another ladder or something?"

"Your Delphox can levitate things, can't she?" said Aria.

Serena gave Delphox a furtive glance. She supposed Aria's plan was good enough given the situation.

In relative silence, the three of them ascended the ladder. Serena supposed it was some sort of maintenance access shaft. Aria led the way. At the top of each level, she had to stop and unlock a hatch to the next floor.

A minute or two later, when Aria opened yet another hatch, Serena saw light. The light was soon followed by a gust of cold air.

"We're here," said Aria.

Aria stepped up onto the roof. As she dusted herself off, Serena joined her. The sky was darker than when she had last seen it. The air was colder than before. Flurries swirled about in the air, ever so slightly heavier than before. She could only imagine the panic attack Clemont was having. His fears about the snow not arriving on time seemed to be coming true.

"I would call this a pleasant surprise, but I think you'll agree with me that this is neither much of a surprise nor particularly pleasant."

Serena gasped. Beside her, Aria jumped in fright. Both of them spun around.

With her hands inside the pockets of her long coat and her silvery gray scarf billowing in the wind, Palermo stood behind them, a short distance away on the opposite side of the access hatch. Beside her, Florges stood as cold and aloof as ever.

Delphox was only halfway through the hatch. She snapped her head in Florges' direction and growled. Florges gave Delphox no more response than a momentary, dismissive glance.

When Delphox pulled herself fully up onto the roof, Palermo took a step forward. She pulled one hand out of her pocket, then snapped her fingers. Spontaneously, the hatch shut itself. The brief, almost unnoticeable flash in Florges' eyes was the only indication as to who had actually done it.

Palermo put her hand back in her coat pocket and turned away. She meandered toward the edge of the roof.

"Fancy meeting both of you up here," she said. "Rather chilly this evening, isn't it, girls?"

Serena glanced at Aria. Neither one of them said anything.

"Pity we couldn't have more cooperative weather, but the view from here is unparalleled, I must say," said Palermo. She stopped near the edge of the roof and looked back over her shoulder. "As luck would have it, you two are just in time."

"In time for what?" said Serena.

"Why, isn't _that_ the question of the day?" said Palermo. "Come closer, my dear. You will see for yourself soon enough."

Serena's brow tightened.

"I'm not going _anywhere_ until you tell me what's going on," she said.

Palermo turned away again and lightly shook her head.

"I would urge you to reconsider your pointless stubbornness, but I'm confident you'll change your position on the matter in short order anyway."

"I'm not changing my mind about _anything!"_ said Serena.

"How dreadfully dull of you," said Palermo, not even bothering to look back. "I would blame your useful idiot of a lover for it, but it's perfectly clear that you come by it naturally."

Serena could not remember ever being offended in more ways at the same time.

"What do _you _know about Ash?" she said. "You've never met him!"

"Indeed, I have not," said Palermo. "His reputation precedes him, though. It's a shame that I am unavailable to greet him personally tonight, but alas, I have been indisposed."

Palermo shifted her stance and glanced back at Serena and Aria.

"I pride myself on being an excellent host, but I admit, it _is_ rather improper of me to have arranged a meeting between two of my guests without their knowledge. It's hardly an excuse, but there are some _extenuating circumstances_ this evening."

Palermo smiled, and she turned to look down below again. Before Serena could say anything, she heard an unexpected sound.

It was the sound of an engine. Down below, a vehicle rolled to a stop, then went silent.

"Ah, splendid," said Palermo. "Punctual as always."

Unable to wait any longer, Serena walked over to the edge of the roof and stopped, keeping her distance from Palermo. She looked down.

Four stories below, a white limousine sat parked just short of the courtyard. Ash and the others stood in the courtyard, watching it. Monsieur Pierre remained at his post at the front steps, blocking entry to the mansion.

One of the limousine's rear doors opened. A figure stepped out. Serena's jaw dropped.

It was Diantha.

_"No..."_ Serena whispered.

"On the contrary, _yes,_ actually," said Palermo, looking in her direction and giving her a slight nod.

Down below, Ash stepped forward from the group. Diantha approached from the opposite direction.

"Ash!" said Diantha.

"Diantha?" said Ash. "Is that really you?"

"Yes, it is," said Diantha. She stopped, still quite some distance away from him. Seemingly uncertain if he should continue, Ash also stopped.

"I can't believe it!" he said. "What are you doing here?"

"Unfortunately, I have to ask the same question of you and all of your friends," said Diantha.

"Huh?"

"When Aria returned last night, Palermo contacted me and told me she had an urgent matter to discuss with me," said Diantha. "I just finished discussing it with her, as a matter of fact. She told me it had to do with Aria's safety, although I never imagined what it would be."

Ash didn't seem to know how to respond.

"Did... did she tell you?"

"She told me that the reason Aria had been missing for so long was that your friend Serena _extorted _her for money," said Diantha. "And then, when that wasn't enough, your friends helped hold Aria _captive_ for monthsbecause Serena had some sort of sick, twisted love for her!"

"What?!" said Ash.

"She also told me that she was aware of the connection between you and the rest of your friends who did this, and that she was afraid that you would come here to try to take Aria back since she escaped."

"Are you kidding?" said Ash.

"I'm completely serious," said Diantha. She folded her arms. "I recommend you take this seriously, too. This is a very serious matter."

"It's all a lie!"

"What is?" said Diantha. "Your heroic act? Palermo showed me _evidence, _Ash! She has emails that prove that Serena was after Aria's money. She has letters that prove you knew about Serena's involvement in this situation and that you were coming back to help her."

Serena's heart stopped. Aghast, she turned to look at Palermo.

Palermo withdrew an object from each pocket. From one, a stack of envelopes. From another, a lighter.

Delphox brandished her wand and pointed it at Palermo. From behind Palermo, Florges turned around and held a palm out toward Delphox. Both of them flared with energy, each blocking the other.

Palermo flicked the lighter, then touched the envelopes to the flame.

"Don't worry. I have copies."

Palermo tossed the burning envelopes into the wind. Spontaneously, Serena let out a strangled cry caught somewhere between a scream and a whimper. As if trying to chase them as they fluttered to the ground, Serena dropped to her knees and leaned over the edge of the roof, extending her arm in a hopeless attempt to reach out to them. She was not even close.

Tears flooded her eyes, obscuring her vision as the smoldering remains of the letters left trails of smoke that vanished into the frigid evening air, the ashes scattering in the wind. She sank to all fours.

The next thing she knew, she felt Aria's hands on her shoulders, pulling her back from the edge. She covered her mouth with one hand. She only heard what happened next.

"Palermo took my letters?" said Ash.

"She had a search warrant," said Diantha.

"What?"

"It's all over, Ash," said Diantha. "There's more than enough evidence to send every single one of you to prison. The only problem is getting you there in the first place."

"It's not true!"

"You can save your talk for when you're in police custody," said Diantha. "You'll need it then."

"We didn't do it!" said Ash. "We were trying to help Aria! Palermo's lying!"

"Palermo has done more good for me and for the people of Kalos than you ever have or could," said Diantha. "Tell me, did you merely stop Team Flare because it was convenient for you?"

"I- What are you doing?"

There was the sound of a Poké Ball opening.

"I'm doing what the police cannot," said Diantha. "I'm stopping you."

Serena wasn't sure when she had last felt her heart take a beat. She was cold all over, inside and out. Her brain had halted, completely numb from shock.

Palermo turned to face Serena. She smiled.

"The tabloids and the gossip rags will all tell you that Aria is the greatest apprentice I ever mentored," said Palermo. "In a sense, that is true. Aria is perhaps the greatest performer in the history of the art form. She is certainly the greatest _performer _I have ever mentored, but that doesn't tell the whole story."

Aria helped pull Serena upright onto her knees again.

"Diantha was never the Kalos Queen, but that has more to do with me than it does with her," said Palermo. "She unquestionably had the talent for it. As it so happens, I correctly deduced that she possessed incredible potential when I first encountered her as a young girl. What I failed to predict was how correct I was."

Serena forced herself to breathe. She blinked several times, clearing the tears from her eyes. She swallowed. Down below, she saw Pikachu standing opposite Diantha's Goodra in the center of the courtyard.

"Pokémon prodigies are common, but prodigies of her caliber are not," said Palermo. "Diantha first achieved mega evolution with her Gardevoir when she was eleven years old. I knew long before then that I was outclassed. As such, I had long since begun nudging her away from the performance circuit and toward competitive battling. Attempting to control her as her fame and power grew would have jeopardized my entire enterprise. Unlike all the others, she alone possessed the strength to fight back."

Palermo turned her gaze back to the courtyard. She smiled warmly.

"I relinquished her from my grasp before I ever truly controlled her, before she ever saw any sign from me that I was engaging in anything untoward. And so, her career as an actress blossomed, she ascended through the ranks to claim the league championship, and I made an ally out of the strongest trainer in Kalos. After all, my dear, _there is always a greater power."_

Palermo's eyes gleamed, filled with pride and fond regard. Serena squirmed at the sight of her.

"Diantha, the champion of Kalos, and my greatest protégé."


	15. Only a Matter of Time

Chapter Fifteen – Only a Matter of Time

Serena shivered as snowflakes swirled in the wind. Her short, shallow breaths evaporated in the damp, frigid air. After losing track of it for a while, she felt her heartbeat again. With every passing second, it accelerated. In the courtyard below, Pikachu's cheeks crackled with electricity.

As if on cue, Monsieur Pierre raised his hand. From his perch on the mansion's front steps, he resembled a general ordering an army to attack. A moment later, the limousine's doors opened again. A dozen security guards emerged from inside, all wielding Poké Balls.

To Serena's surprise, the guards ignored Ash. Instead, they formed a perimeter around everyone else. Encircled, Korrina, Clemont, Lillie, and Bonnie all huddled together in the center, their backs facing each other. Clemont and Korrina both reached for Poké Balls of their own.

"What is the meaning of this?" said Clemont. "We were invited onto the premises!"

"We're the good guys!" said Bonnie.

Monsieur Pierre tucked his arms behind his back again and bowed his head.

"Forgive me, but it is my duty to ensure that none of you interfere with Madame Diantha's battle," he said. "Brutish as these measures may be, they seemed like a necessary precaution. We are well aware of your group's impulsiveness in regard to battle."

"If you want a battle, you've got one!" said Korrina. "Lucario, go!"

Korrina tossed her Poké Ball into the air, and Lucario burst out of it. He landed in between Korrina and the guards nearest to her. Immediately, he dropped into a battle stance.

"Mademoiselle, please, I implore you to reconsider your recklessness," said Pierre. "These guards will not attack unless attacked first. There is no need for any unnecessary violence."

"Do you really think we're going to just stand here and watch?" said Korrina.

"No, I do not, hence the precaution," said Pierre. "I had hoped, however, that perhaps some of the more level-headed members of your group would feel inclined to listen to reason."

Korrina looked at Clemont. Clemont's grip on his Poké Ball tightened.

"In light of new evidence, I think the time to abandon reason has long since come," he said. "Go, Luxray!"

Behind Clemont and Korrina, Bonnie stared down a guard with Dedenne poking out of her bag. Beside her, Lillie held her lone Poké Ball in both hands.

"Clefairy, we need your help!" said Lillie. Her attempt at throwing the ball resulted in it falling to the ground only a few feet in front of her. Clefairy emerged from the ball and looked up at her. "I don't know if we can do this, but we'll both do our best, okay?"

Korrina and Lucario both entered a meditation pose. There was a rush of energy, and Lucario became sheathed in a sphere of polychromatic light. A few seconds later, he appeared again, transformed.

_"Go!"_

On the opposite side of the courtyard, Ash stood facing halfway away from Diantha. Seemingly torn between Diantha and everyone else, he watched the ensuing melee with apparent horror.

"Your concern for your friends is touching, Ash," said Diantha. "Unfortunately, they brought this upon themselves."

Ash turned back to face Diantha. Behind him, the paving stones in front of the mansion rippled with electricity from Luxray's Electric Terrain, and Lucario leaped into the sky while charging an Aura Sphere.

"They didn't do anything wrong!" said Ash.

"The security camera footage is going to show that they attacked first, despite being warned," said Diantha.

Ash looked up toward the nearest wall of the mansion. Seemingly reading his mind, Pikachu sent a short sharp bolt of electricity flying toward the wall. There was metallic crack, following by the tinkling of broken glass.

Diantha tilted her head. Her voice dripped with disappointment.

"That was only one of many, you know," she said. "Now, you're going to have property damage on your list of charges, too."

Ash clenched his fists and grit his teeth. Across the battlefield, Goodra gazed down at Pikachu. Pikachu straightened up and returned Goodra's stare.

"We didn't do any of the stuff that Palermo said we did!" said Ash. "She made it all up!"

"There is far too much evidence at hand for this to all be made up," said Diantha.

"She lied to you!"

"I know Palermo far better than any of you do, and she is not a liar," said Diantha. "I've worked with her since before you were born, and never even once has she done anything that would have led me to believe my trust in her was misplaced."

"You- ...you really don't know about any of this?"

"About what?" said Diantha. "I know quite a lot about what you and your friends have been doing with Aria, if that's what you mean. Palermo was gracious enough to ask me for my help, but had I known sooner she wouldn't have had to _ask_ at all! I'm more than willing to use my abilities to put an end to this affair."

Ash placed a hand on the back of his neck. His face strained in disbelief.

"Diantha, please!" he said. "You've gotta listen to me!"

"I've listened to enough already," said Diantha. "It is my responsibility as the champion of Kalos to do all within my power to ensure the safety of the region and its people. On behalf of the people of Kalos, I am here to protect their queen."

Up above, Palermo smirked.

"How right she is," she said.

Serena looked at Aria. Aria had her arms tightly folded, her eyes focused on the imminent battle below.

"Does Diantha really not know?" said Serena.

"No," said Aria. Without looking at Serena, she shook her head. "Palermo knew better than to try to control someone who could beat her. Diantha has no idea."

"But... how couldn't she?" said Serena.

"Strict control and coercion of everyone who could possibly tell her," said Aria. "I've never been alone in the same room as her. Palermo has always been there, too, on purpose."

"Keep your friends close, and your enemies closer, my dear," said Palermo. Looking satisfied, she glanced over at the two of them. "A terribly overused cliché, I know, but sound advice nonetheless."

Below, Diantha unfolded her arms.

"This is it," she said. "I will give you and your friends one last opportunity to stand down and turn yourselves over. If you refuse, you will leave me no choice but to stop you by force. You may be a champion in your own right, but I assure you that if you face me in battle, you will not win."

Pikachu's cheeks sparked again. Ash turned around his hat.

"I am _not _giving up."

"So be it," said Diantha. She raised an open hand toward Ash. "Goodra, Dragon Pulse!"

"Thunderbolt!"

Serena squinted and tried to watch the attacks for only an instant before wincing and looking away. It was like the battle with Siebold all over again. The light from Goodra's Dragon Pulse was so intense that it hurt her eyes. She didn't know how to describe its color. She wasn't certain if color was a concept that applied to it. It was vaguely purple, perhaps, at least at first glance. As the beam lingered as a spot in her vision even after she shut her eyes, it also seemed to be various shades of blue, steely gray, and maybe even green. Mostly, it was so bright that it all seemed white.

Energy crackled as the two attacks collided, each stopping the other.

"Quick Attack!"

"Power Whip!"

Pikachu streaked across the battlefield at a blinding speed. Atop Goodra's head, her antennae glowed purple. Rather than try to dodge, she reared her head back.

The collision came like the crack of a whip. The sound made Serena flinch. Goodra swung her head forward and intercepted Pikachu, lashing him with her antennae. Pikachu ricocheted off and spun back to the ground, then took off in a flash again. This time, he circled around Goodra's backside.

"Electro Ball!"

"Dragon Pulse!"

Pikachu leaped into the air, rolled over, and flung a crackling sphere of electricity off the end of his tail. Goodra turned around and met the attack with one of her own. Again, Serena was forced to look away. This time, the collision resulted in a small explosion. The blast sent a shockwave of energy across the courtyard, rustling the hedges and the trees.

For a moment, it interrupted the battle taking place in the background. The melee resumed when Korrina reached for a second Poké Ball. Her Machoke emerged from it, and she called another attack.

The shock from the blast faded, and Pikachu landed on all fours.

"Quick Attack into Iron Tail!"

Without wasting a moment, Pikachu took off again. Almost invisible as he propelled himself forward, he seemed to snap back into reality as he shifted from one attack into the next. He jumped, and the blur of his blinding motion faded. His tail gleamed like steel as he held it high, prepared to strike.

Diantha held up her hand as if to issue a command, but she said nothing. Pikachu came rocketing down from above. Like Diantha, Goodra did nothing but watch.

"Dragon Tail!"

Diantha's command came only a split-second before impact. Goodra's reaction time seemed impossibly fast, but Serena was sure it was because Goodra had anticipated it. Goodra shifted her position, placing her tail squarely in Pikachu's path. For a mere instant, it looked like Pikachu's attack landed. There was the briefest moment of hard contact, enough to make Serena hold her breath.

Then, Goodra moved _with _Pikachu. The Iron Tail never truly landed at all. Goodra intercepted Pikachu's tail with her own. The momentum transferred from one body to another. Unable to stop himself, Pikachu was caught. Goodra swung fully around and then flung Pikachu back in Ash's direction, ejecting him from the battlefield. Pikachu came to a stop only when he collided with one of the hedges, becoming wedged within its gnarled, tangled branches.

Serena held her breath in earnest. Goodra did not appear to be fatigued in the slightest. For a few seconds, the hedge rustled as Pikachu struggled inside it. Then, he popped out of it, shaking the leaves and sticks from his fur.

"Good work, but take a rest for now, buddy," said Ash. "Let's try someone else."

"I'm well aware that stubbornness is one of your trademarks in battle, but I did not expect a trainer of your caliber to be _forced _to switch out of a matchup so disadvantageous," said Diantha. "Why would you even attempt to fight on my terms when I set things so thoroughly in my favor?"

"You never know unless you try," said Ash.

Diantha tilted her head.

"Your determination is admirable, at least."

"I told you, I'm not giving up!"

"If you don't send out another Pokémon, I'm going to think that you _are _giving up."

Ash reached for his belt. He thought for a moment, then chose a ball. He threw it.

"Melmetal, I choose you!"

The Pokémon that emerged from the ball was unlike anything Serena had ever seen. It looked like an assortment of loose parts from Meyer's shop held together by a blob of liquid metal. Its nominal head was a six-sided nut with an eyeball floating in the center. Its joints, assuming it had any, were all made of similar nuts. It made a sound similar to a train coming to a stop when it landed on the ground. The paving stones sunk beneath its feet. When it pulled itself up to its full height, it became clear to Serena how massive it was. It stood several feet taller than Ash.

"Well, I admit, you're full of surprises," said Diantha. "I've traveled all over the world, but I've never seen this Pokémon before."

Ash rubbed the underside of his nose with his finger. It was cold enough to believe that he was merely wiping it, but Serena was certain he was concealing a smirk.

"Melmetal gets that a lot," said Ash.

"It seems like a safe assumption that it's a steel type, at least," said Diantha. "Let's go with that. Get ready, Goodra!"

Goodra straightened up her posture. Determined, she turned her head upward to meet Melmetal's single, beady eye.

"Melmetal, Thunder Punch!"

Diantha hesitated for a second. Melmetal began to move, lumbering across the battlefield toward Goodra. The ground shook with every plodding step.

"Power Whip!"

Melmetal raised an arm. The gigantic nut that Serena supposed constituted its fist sparked. It swung. Goodra reared her head back and then lashed with her glowing antennae, meeting the attack.

The crack of the whip came again, but this time with a different result. Goodra reeled, then stumbled back several steps. As she steadied herself, Melmetal began his slow advance.

"Dragon Pulse!"

Goodra reared her head back again. This time, she fired a blinding beam of energy from her mouth when she brought her head forward.

"Acid Armor!"

Serena struggled to understand what happened next, but at least she knew she wasn't alone in her confusion. For a second, she thought that Goodra had blasted a hole all the way through Melmetal. She expected Melmetal to keel over, mortally wounded. Instead, she found herself at a loss for words to describe what she saw.

Melmetal's shape had changed. The blast had indeed gone _through_ its target, but not exactly on purpose. Melmetal's body wobbled, and for a moment seemed to vaporize as everything reconfigured. Where there had once been a thick blob of liquid metal, there was now nothing more than a hole. Serena blinked in astonishment. Melmetal had reshaped its body _around _the attack.

"That's... a _creative _use of Acid Armor," said Diantha. "I'm not sure that's what I would call that move, though."

Ash shrugged.

"Eh, it's what Melmetal does when I say to do it, and that's good enough," he said.

"It's spectacular, actually," said Diantha, her eyebrows raised.

Once again, Melmetal's body wobbled like a blob of gelatin, then vaporized. When it fully rematerialized, it was back in its original configuration.

Diantha pulled out a Poké Ball.

"Goodra, that's enough for now. Return."

Goodra vanished back into her ball. Diantha swapped the ball for another and threw it. A Pokémon appeared that Serena was all too familiar with, albeit from a very different context.

It was a Gourgeist. Unlike the one she had seen Jessie use so many times, this Gourgeist was very, very large. Every bit as tall as Melmetal, Gourgeist's orange, glowing eyes flickered in the evening light.

Ash gawked.

_"Wow _that's big!" he said.

Gourgeist gave Ash an offended look.

"I recommend you watch what you say," said Diantha. "Gourgeist is rather sensitive about her size."

"I'm... sorry?" said Ash.

Gourgeist huffed.

"If you want to apologize, it will have to be more convincing than that," said Diantha. "Now, Gourgeist, Leech Seed!"

Gourgeist inhaled, then spat out a barrage of seeds that all shot at Melmetal. Given Melmetal's glacial speed, there was no hope of evading the attack. The seeds all sank into its liquid body.

"Double Iron Bash!"

Serena had never heard of such a move, but the concept sounded straightforward enough. Melmetal closed in and raised both arms, ready to strike with both in succession.

"Shadow Sneak."

Melmetal swung a fist in what would surely have been a crushing blow, if only its target had still been there. In the blink of an eye, Gourgeist's form transposed from one plane into another, shifting from standing solidly in front of Melmetal to lurking beneath Melmetal in its shadow. Then, as Melmetal stood there frozen and confused, Gourgeist popped back out of the shadow from behind.

"Behind you!" said Ash.

"Trick or Treat!" said Diantha.

Even from up on the roof, Serena could see how badly Ash scrunched up his face in confusion.

_"Huh?"_

Melmetal turned its head around just in time for Gourgeist to cackle and then vanish into a cloud of purple smoke. A moment later, dark energy bubbled up from the shadow beneath Melmetal. Otherworldly laughter echoed all around as Melmetal was engulfed. Its metallic body became transparent again, but not in the same way as before. From its feet to its head, Melmetal transformed into nothing more than a purple shadow.

Then, as the hideous laughter reached the peak of its crescendo, Melmetal snapped back to normal, and Gourgeist snapped back into reality out of nowhere. Standing in front of Melmetal again, she wore a devious grin.

"What was _that?" _said Ash.

Diantha did not answer his question. She issued another command.

"Phantom Force!"

Gourgeist vanished into a faint cloud of shadowy smoke, then disappeared completely.

"Acid Armor!"

Melmetal's body wobbled once again. This time, the entire liquid portion of its body turned transparent.

Not fully, though. Rather than the clear, tenuous vapor left behind before, a ghostly shadow took its place.

Gourgeist reappeared out of nowhere, as if creeping up from Melmetal's shadow _into _its shadowy body. Melmetal went rigid with shock, and then a moment later the two bodies were ejected from one another. Gourgeist landed comfortably on the ground. Melmetal staggered backward and then toppled over.

"What?!" said Ash. "I-"

Melmetal groaned. The sound scraped the insides of Serena's ears like the piercing reverberation of a steel beam being bent to its breaking point. The ground shuddered as Melmetal rose to one knee.

Just as it seemed like Melmetal would get back on its feet, its body crackled with green energy. Serena recognized it, and she knew Ash did as well. Leech Seed activated. Ash hurried to reach for Melmetal's ball.

"Melmetal, return!"

Melmetal vanished back into its Poké Ball, and Ash threw another.

"Decidueye, go!"

Serena tightened her arms around herself. It was ghost versus ghost.

"An interesting choice," said Diantha.

"Spirit Shackle!"

Decidueye raised an arm. As if it were part of his wing, he pulled back a taut vine like the string of a bow. A ghostly arrow appeared in it. He took aim, then fired.

The arrow shot across the battlefield. Just as she had thought when Goodra's Dragon Pulse hit Melmetal, Serena thought for a moment that she had witnessed a mortal strike. The arrow shot clean through Gourgeist. Gourgeist shrieked and reeled backward. The arrow lodged itself into the ground between the paving stones, smoldering with shadowy energy.

Gourgeist stood again. The arrow flashed. A chain appeared, binding the two of them together, anchoring her to the ground. Then, a moment later, the arrow and the chain vanished like they had never been there at all.

"That won't work on a ghost type Pokémon!" said Diantha. "Gourgeist, Shadow Sneak!"

"Sucker Punch!"

For the briefest of moments, Gourgeist transposed herself into the shadows again. What followed defied all physical sense. Decidueye faded from sight. An instant later, he reappeared within his own shadow. His fist flared with dark energy, and he drove it into Gourgeist's face. Gourgeist was launched out of the shadow and back into the physical plane. She rolled over on the ground several times before coming to a stop, motionless.

"I see," said Diantha. "Return."

Diantha returned Gourgeist to her ball, then swapped the ball with another.

"Clever," said Diantha. "I wouldn't have expected you to anticipate my reaction like that."

"I'm not _dumb,_ you know," said Ash.

"I never said you were," said Diantha. "I _do _think you're hasty and misguided, though."

"Misguided?"

"We shouldn't have to have this battle at all," said Diantha.

"Yeah, I know!" said Ash. "I told you, me and my friends didn't do anything wrong! Palermo lied to you!"

Diantha shook her head, then tossed her next Poké Ball into the air.

"Aurorus, go!"

Aurorus emerged from the ball. Her arrival was met with a gust of icy wind. The frilly sails on her back tossed about in the frigid air.

In the momentary lull, Serena looked and saw the battle with the guards still ongoing. Korrina and Clemont were both controlling two Pokémon at once, Korrina with Lucario and Machoke, and Clemont with Luxray and Heliolisk. A few of the guards had already been eliminated, their unconscious Pokémon strewn about on the ground. While Korrina and Clemont battled multiple guards at once, Bonnie and Lillie both teamed up on one guard. Dedenne nuzzled against the back of a Raticate's neck while Clefairy repeatedly slapped it in the face from the front.

Serena returned her attention to Ash when another gust of wind kicked up. This one was different than all the previous ones. It carried snowflakes. Not flurries. Full, genuine snowflakes. Down below, she saw Ash massage his own arms as if trying not to shiver. She was certain it wasn't her imagination that it had suddenly become colder.

Aurorus lifted her head up toward the sky and let out a joyful cry. Decidueye pulled his hood tighter over his head.

"Ancient Power!"

"Leaf Blade!"

There was a rumbling sound, and the paving stones around Aurorus lifted into the air. Decidueye jumped, and the stones shot at him. Decidueye's wings glowed green. Flickering in and out of sight, he hopped between each stone, slashing them apart.

"Now, down! Leaf Blade again!"

From directly above Aurorus, Decidueye reappeared, then dropped toward the ground in a dive bomb. Aurorus craned her neck upward.

"Barrier!"

Aurorus exhaled. From her mouth, a sheet of ice condensed from a cloud of vapor. Decidueye crashed into it, and the ice shattered. He bounced off from the impact, then landed roughly on the ground. He was quick to his feet. Aurorus turned to face him.

"Freeze Dry!"

"Dodge!"

Aurorus exhaled again. This time, she did not emit a cloud of vapor, but instead a gust of icy wind. Decidueye dropped to the ground, then vanished.

And then reappeared, quite unintentionally.

A solid block of ice rooted one of his feet to the ground.

"Again!" said Diantha.

There wasn't enough time to react. Before Decidueye could move out of the way, he was rendered unable to move at all. Aurorus struck with Freeze Dry again, this time directly. A few seconds later, Decidueye was frozen in place like a statue, completely encased in ice.

"Decidueye!"

Decidueye did not respond in any way at all. There was no way for him to do so. Dumbstruck, Ash hesitated with his mouth hanging open for several awkward seconds before returning Decidueye to his ball.

"Thank you for not forcing me to finish that one off," said Diantha. "I don't like being forced to cause unnecessary harm."

"Oh yeah?" said Ash, exchanging Decidueye's ball for another. "Then how about you stop fighting and listen to me!"

Diantha made an exasperated noise and rubbed her forehead.

"Ash, really? Do you _really _think I'm going to believe your story if you keep repeating it? I told you, I've seen the evidence! I have no reason to doubt Palermo and every reason to believe her. I've caught you and your friends in the act here tonight, and you expect me to believe an obvious lie?"

"I'm _not _lying!"

"I can't even begin to express how disappointed I am in you. The least you could do is own up to your actions and maintain some dignity, but you're trying to keep up a lie when the truth has already been revealed! You can't fight the truth and expect to win!"

"I _am _telling the truth! We didn't kidnap Aria! She ran away from Palermo on her own!"

"Do you hear yourself? Think about what you're saying. Why in the world would the _Kalos Queen _run away on her own and leave behind everything to live like a fugitive?"

"Because Palermo tricked her! She tricked you, too!"

"Palermo did no such thing."

"She started all of this because she wanted to trick Serena, too!"

"Trick her for what purpose?"

Ash grimaced. He threw his next Poké Ball.

Serena recognized the Pokémon that appeared. It was the same kind of Pokémon that Professor Kukui had used as his partner in the wrestling ring.

"Your lack of response doesn't help your case," said Diantha.

"Incineroar, Cross Chop!"

Incineroar charged at Aurorus, his arms crossed in an X shape and ready to deliver a crushing blow. Aurorus froze, seemingly in fear. For a moment, Serena expected to see Incineroar end the encounter in a single hit.

Before he could strike, Aurorus dematerialized. With surprising speed, Diantha returned Aurorus to her ball. Incineroar skidded to a halt where his would-be target had been moments before.

"You should learn to pick your battles," said Diantha. "It doesn't matter how stubborn you are, or how strong you are. There are some you can't win."

Diantha exchanged one Poké Ball for another. She threw the new ball high into the air. Another very familiar Pokémon emerged from it.

Diantha's Hawlucha spread his wings, then glided over the battlefield, carried by the gusty air. Incineroar clenched his fists and glared up at him.

"Swords Dance," said Diantha.

Pirouetting in the air, Hawlucha spun around. Slowly at first, he spun more rapidly until he looked like a glowing top, steadily rising higher. Incineroar watched from below.

"Sky Attack!"

Hawlucha abruptly snapped to a halt in midair. Glowing like the midday sun, he spread his wings and prepared to dive.

Down below, Incineroar slackened his stance.

"Now, like we practiced!" said Ash.

The light surrounding Hawlucha changed into a gleaming, brilliant gold. Roaring with energy, he plummeted toward the ground, on a collision course with Incineroar.

Incineroar did not move.

Ash did.

"Lycanroc, Counter!"

Wielding two Poké Balls at once, Ash made a lightning-fast exchange. Incineroar vanished. In his place appeared a Pokémon that stood on four legs, with streaming fur of golden brown, white, and black. With amazing agility, it leaped into the air. For just a moment, Serena caught a glimpse of its piercing eyes.

Then, Lycanroc caught Hawlucha by the neck with his teeth. With a twist of his body, Lycanroc rolled Hawlucha over in the air. On top, Lycanroc rode Hawlucha down to the ground. At the last second, he let go.

The ground shook. Serena winced from the force of the impact. Lycanroc jumped clear. Hawlucha was left embedded in the ground, wedged into his own personal crater, motionless.

Diantha was speechless. Lycanroc turned to face her. In the pause that followed, he held his head up to the sky and howled.

"I _know_ how to pick my battles," said Ash.

From the corner of her eye, Serena saw Palermo's brow tighten.

Diantha returned Hawlucha to his ball. She replaced it with another.

"I suppose that's my well-deserved comeuppance for underestimating you," said Diantha. "I apologize for disrespecting your abilities."

"If you wanna apologize, then listen to me!" said Ash.

"Please, stop," said Diantha. "We've been over this more than enough. It's embarrassing that you continue to insist upon it, frankly."

"Diantha, please!"

"No. This is not a battle of words. Even if it were, you would not be able to win it. You won't win a contest of strength against me, either."

Diantha threw her next Poké Ball.

"I dislike having to use something as unbecoming as brute force, but I will use it when given no other choice."

Serena had no doubt that Diantha had picked up that philosophy from Palermo.

The ball opened, and a towering, fearsome Pokémon appeared from it, all scales and claws and spikes and teeth, with a head like a solid boulder and jaws that could crush steel.

Tyrantrum stood over Lycanroc. Lycanroc growled.

Tyrantrum _roared._

Serena covered her ears. Even with all the impacts and explosions, it was easily the loudest sound in the battle so far. Lycanroc seized up with fright, and then spontaneously dematerialized. As a beam of light, he shot back into his ball.

Ash seemed unsure what to make of it for a second, but he threw another ball. Incineroar reappeared.

The two Pokémon locked eyes and leered at each other from their respective sides of the battlefield. Serena shivered. Even without Pikachu firing Thunderbolts, she felt electricity in the air.

Although, she realized that perhaps it was because Luxray was busy spamming Discharge against the guards in the background.

"Head Smash!"

"Dodge!"

Incineroar hit the ground and rolled out of the way just as Tyrantrum sent his gargantuan head crashing down on the spot. The ground rumbled again as Incineroar leaped back up to his feet. When Tyrantrum extracted his head from the ground, there was a deep crater left behind.

"Cross Chop!"

"Dragon Claw!"

Incineroar charged, arms crossed. He swung. Despite the disparity in arm length, Tyrantrum caught the attack with glowing claws.

"Crunch!"

Right away, Serena knew it had been a ruse to get Incineroar into position. Tyrantrum opened his massive jaws and threatened to devour Incineroar whole.

"Flare Blitz!"

It was just like what Pikachu had done to Siebold's Gyarados. Why bother avoiding getting eaten when you can attack a vulnerable spot from within? The flames around Incineroar's belt flared, and then his whole body rippled with fire. He jumped up into Tyrantrum's waiting jaws.

Upon impact, Tyrantrum gagged, released Incineroar, and went reeling backward. The difference this time was that instead of a devastating blow, Incineroar's attack was mostly resisted. It wasn't much, but it was enough.

"Head Smash!"

"Darkest Lariat!"

As soon as Tyrantrum was on his feet again, he charged. As he reared his head back to strike, Incineroar charged in as well. Spinning, Incineroar caught Tyrantrum in the chest with an outstretched arm and clotheslined him to the ground. Tyrantrum's attack never landed.

"Cross Chop!"

"Crunch!"

On his back, Tyrantrum was exposed. Incineroar closed in for a decisive blow, but Tyrantrum kicked upward and intercepted Incineroar's strike with his teeth.

A struggle ensued. After a few seconds of going nowhere, the two of them broke away from each other. Standing at a distance, the two stared each other down. Tyrantrum dug at the ground with his foot, eager to charge.

"Tyrantrum, Thrash!"

Tyrantrum growled and lowered his head. With a ferocity unlike anything Serena had seen before, he charged.

Ash did not give a command. Instead, Incineroar braced himself, and he acted entirely on his own.

Tyrantrum spun a moment before impact, swinging his tail for a brutal blow. Upon impact, the sound reverberated inside Serena's stomach like the beat from a drum. She winced, but only in fear of what would happen, not what actually happened.

Incineroar caught Tyrantrum's tail. Growling as he struggled, the paving stones beneath his feet sank deeper into the ground from the force of the blow. For a moment, the two of them were deadlocked. Then, Incinceroar's feet began to slide backward. Before he completely lost control, he ducked and rolled out of the way. Tyrantrum landed with a crash where Incineroar had stood a moment before. In the blink of an eye, both of them were back on their feet, and the chase resumed.

Tyrantrum swung his head. Incineroar jumped above it and dodged, then planted his feet on top of Tyrantrum's head and jumped again, landing behind him. Tyrantrum whipped around to strike with his tail again, and once more Incineroar blocked it. As Incineroar weathered the blow, Tyrantrum turned and went for a decisive strike with his teeth. Incineroar responded by surging forward and planting an elbow solidly into the underside of Tyrantrum's jaw.

Tyrantrum reeled back. Incineroar charged and struck again, this time burying a knee in Tyrantrum's stomach. Again, Tyrantrum staggered. Incineroar leaped. He laced the fingers on both of his hands together, joining them to form one giant fist. With both hands held high over his head, he brought them crashing down on Tyrantrum's head. Tyrantrum let out a strangled cry and fell to the ground.

Incineroar landed. Tyrantrum shook himself back to his feet, then roared again. Incineroar dropped into a ready stance. With one hand, he beckoned Tyrantrum to him. Tyrantrum obliged.

Tyrantrum charged. The flames on Incineroar's belt flared. The two of them met each other halfway and tried to exchange simultaneous blows, Incineroar with a flaming kick and Tyrantrum with his tail. Both only glanced off their targets, then flew past each other. They turned and charged again. Tyrantrum raised his head to bring it crashing down on Incineroar. Incineroar dropped to the ground and slid between Tyrantrum's legs, passing under him. Tyrantrum's strike shook the ground, leaving yet another crater in the courtyard.

From behind, Incineroar sprung up and prepared to strike. While Tyrantrum recovered from embedding his head in the ground once again, Incineroar delivered a solid kick to his side, sending him flying a short distance, tearing up paving stones as he skidded to a halt upon landing.

He did not stay down for long. A moment later, Tyrantrum thrashed about as if trying to shake off the blow, then jumped back to his feet. He growled, glaring menacingly at Incineroar. Incineroar stood before him, ready for more.

Up above, the look in Tyrantrum's eyes made Serena's stomach knot itself. She had never seen anything so mindlessly vicious. The longer it continued, the less it seemed like Tyrantrum was mentally there, and the more like he was losing himself to raw, primal instinct.

The two charged at each other again. This time, several percussive hits echoed all around and inside Serena's chest as the two exchanged hits. Tyrantrum swung his tail. Incineroar blocked, then tried to flip Tyrantrum over. Tyrantrum overpowered Incineroar and went for another strike with his head. Incineroar sidestepped him and swung with a flaming fist. He connected with the side of Tyrantrum's head and sent him staggering.

"Incineroar, Cross Chop!"

Incineroar jumped and crossed his arms in an X-shape again, ready to pounce and deliver the finishing blow. Tyrantrum struggled to recollect himself below, breathing heavily from the massive exertion. His eyes were completely glazed over and out of focus. He took a few wobbly, aimless steps.

"Head Smash!"

Diantha's command triggered something within Tyrantrum. Serena saw it, the fleeting moment of recognition in the midst of his blind rage.

Incineroar reached the peak of his jump, passing over the top of the arc. The laws of physics took hold. His final trajectory was certain. There was no way to divert his course. Beneath him, his distracted, bewildered opponent found one final second of sense. It was all Tyrantrum needed.

Tyrantrum planted his feet and whipped around. At what would have been the moment Incineroar made impact, Tyrantrum sidestepped and made impact instead. With a dense, meaty _thud, _he landed a crushing hit with his head to Ininceroar's side. Incineroar was sent flying. The mansion shook beneath Serena's feet as Incineroar crashed into the solid stone wall. He slumped to the ground in a heap.

"Incineroar!"

Ash made a motion as if he intended to run over to Incineroar's side, but he stopped before he was ever able to start. Tyrantrum turned to face him. Unsteady on his feet, Tyrantrum's eyes were vacant. He gurgled a low growl at Ash.

Serena's entire body tightened. She could _hear _Tyrantrum's hunger.

"Tyrantrum, that's enough! Return!"

Diantha held out a Poké Ball. A beam of light shot from it, and an instant later, Tyrantrum vanished. There was a momentary pause, and she lowered her arm.

"Is Incineroar okay?" she said.

Ash looked startled for a moment, as though unable to determine what to make of the turn of events. After a moment of hesitation, he took off and ran over to Incineroar's side.

In the relative silence, Serena looked over the area of the courtyard near the front door again. Both Bonnie and Lillie appeared to have been eliminated from the battle, the two of them both holding Dedenne and Clefairy in their arms and standing behind Clemont and Korrina for protection. The majority of the guards were down, though. Only five of the twelve remained. Clemont fought two at once with Luxray and Heliolisk. Korrina and Lucario fought the other three at the same time, holding them all off while her Machoke was down on one knee.

Beneath where Serena stood on the rooftop, Ash dropped down on one knee next to Incineroar. He reached for Incineroar's wrist. Serena swallowed and steeled herself, reminded all too well of when Korrina had done the same thing with Lucario. She knew what Ash was doing. He was checking for a pulse.

A few incredibly long seconds later, Ash looked up at Diantha.

"He's hurt really bad, but he's still... _you know."_

"Good," said Diantha. Looking much like Lillie so often did, she folded her hands in front of herself and bowed her head. "I apologize. I regret resorting to such tactics. I only did so because I felt it was necessary."

Ash returned Incineroar to his Poké Ball and then stood.

"You can just stop, you know," he said.

Diantha looked back up at Ash. Ash clipped Incineroar's ball back onto his belt.

"Are you saying you intend to forfeit the battle?" said Diantha.

"What? No way!" said Ash.

"Then please stop insisting that this isn't necessary," said Diantha. "Please stop trying to perpetuate a lie. It's more disappointing every time you attempt it."

"Will you _please _just listen to me?" said Ash. "I know it doesn't look like it, but I'm not lying to you!"

"I _wish _I could believe that," said Diantha. "I don't want what Palermo told me to be true, but I can't ignore the evidence."

"She lied about the evidence!" said Ash.

"I've seen it with my own eyes!" said Diantha. "Everything Palermo told me makes sense. She has undeniable proof. The only part of it I don't understand is why you would involve yourself in something so horrible. Why would you resort to something like this? I thought I knew you better than this!"

"I didn't do it!" said Ash. "My friends didn't do it, either! They were trying to help Aria!"

"How does keeping her locked away for months constitute _helping _her?"

"She was trying to hide!"

"From what?"

"From Palermo!"

Diantha scoffed.

"Ash! You can't seriously expect me to believe this!"

Palermo grinned.

"Oh, how quaint," she said, seemingly to no one in particular. Serena glanced in her direction. "Who does he expect her to believe? Her lifelong mentor and colleague who helped start her career, or the upstart young trainer who accuses her mentor of foul play? Truly, a mystery."

"You've gotta believe me!" said Ash. "I'm not making this up!"

"It's so ridiculous that it's impossible for me to assume anything other than it being a lie," said Diantha. "It astonishes me that _this _is the excuse you continue to insist upon. You and your friends couldn't come up with _anything _better than this?"

"We didn't come up with anything!" said Ash. "I'm telling the truth!"

Diantha shook her head.

"Please don't force me to continue this," she said. "I don't want to cause even more harm. I shouldn't have to in the first place."

"You _don't _have to!" said Ash. "Just listen to me, please!"

Diantha did not respond. Instead, she shook her head and tossed another ball onto the battlefield. Goodra emerged from it.

Ash grimaced. He ran back to his side of the field, and he threw another ball of his own.

"Lycanroc, go!"

"Dragon Pulse!"

"Dodge!"

What surprised Serena more than Lycanroc's speed was that she was surprised by it at all. It was so typical of Ash's Pokémon. Lycanroc was halfway across the battlefield when the Dragon Pulse passed through where its target was supposed to have been.

"Stone Edge!"

"Power Whip!"

Lycanroc kicked the ground with his front legs. The paving stones in front of him ripped themselves up from the ground and rocketed at Goodra. In response, Goodra's antennae glowed. As the attack reached her, she whipped them around, swatting the stones away. They scattered all around.

"Bite!"

"Dragon Tail!"

"Dodge!"

Lycanroc was already upon Goodra when Ash changed the order. Abandoning the strike, Lycanroc instead rolled over in midair, passing mere inches over Goodra's tail as she swung. He landed behind her.

"Stone Edge!"

A barrage of paving stones shot up from the ground in front of Lycanroc again. Once more, they failed to hit their target. This time, it was because their target wasn't there. Goodra vanished into her ball, and Diantha threw another.

"Tyrantrum, Dragon Claw!"

Diantha's throw of the ball was pinpoint accurate, much more so than Serena ever would have expected. Tyrantrum burst free with a roar exactly where Goodra had stood only a second before, practically on top of Lycanroc. His claws glowing with energy, he swiped. Lycanroc was swept off his feet and went flying a short distance. To Serena's relief, he landed on his feet and steadied himself.

The confusion in Tyrantrum's eyes was gone. Still, he appeared to be run ragged with fatigue. His breaths were heavy as he stared down Lycanroc. Lycanroc bared his fangs in return.

"Head Smash!"

"Accelerock!"

Tyrantrum reared his head up to strike. A moment later, he stopped. There was a pause, and he fell over backward. In between, Lycanroc vanished. When he reappeared, he was behind Tyrantrum. It was just like Greninja's Aerial Ace.

Serena bit her lip. She didn't breathe. Tyrantrum didn't move.

Diantha held out a ball and returned Tyrantrum to it. She threw another, and Goodra reappeared.

In the few more moments before she drew breath again, Serena felt her heart racing in her throat as she did the math in her head. Ash was ahead. Diantha had only taken out two of his Pokémon, but he had taken out three of hers. He had lost Decidueye and Incineroar. She had lost Gourgeist, Hawlucha, and Tyrantrum.

It was possible. He had a chance.

"Power Whip!"

"Accelerock!"

Lycanroc's attack landed before Goodra was prepared to strike. She reeled back a few steps from the blow as Lycanroc charged her, vanished, and reappeared behind her. When she spun around and swung, Lycanroc was already gone.

"Stone Edge!"

Lycanroc reappeared again behind Goodra and kicked at the ground. Another wave of paving stones ripped themselves up from the ground and launched themselves at her.

"Counter!"

"Huh?"

Goodra's tail glowed, this time orange instead of violet. As Lycanroc's attack reached her, she jumped and spun in the air. Making a full rotation, she swept Lycanroc's attack out of the air with her tail. She flung it back at him.

Lycanroc either had no time to dodge or was too surprised to see his own tactics used against him to react. The Stone Edge was returned to him, much more powerful than before. He braced himself, then disappeared into the hail of supercharged stones as they pelted him. Mud and chips of stone went flying in all directions. Serena winced.

When the attack ceased a second later, Lycanroc lay collapsed amid several small craters. He did not move.

"Surprised?" said Diantha.

Ash did not even nod. He said nothing as he returned Lycanroc to his ball.

"I suppose I really am beginning to get old," said Diantha. "You're so young that you probably aren't aware of it, but years ago when I first became champion, a common criticism of my battle style was what critics deemed to be an over-reliance on using my opponents' own moves against them."

Ash clipped Lycanroc's ball back onto his belt and unclipped another.

"It's refreshing to be able to do that again against an opponent who doesn't expect it of me," said Diantha. "Granted, you did it first in this particular battle. I know you understand how effective it is when timed and executed properly. I don't expect it to work again. Still, I've found over the years that forcing my opponents to respect the possibility of having their attack countered is often just as effective as countering it in the first place. Attempting to circumvent it often leads to suboptimal strategy."

Diantha held a hand to her chest for a moment. Serena wasn't sure from her distance, but she thought it looked like Diantha was embarrassed.

"I digress, though!" said Diantha. "Please, excuse me. I know you also understand just how much fun it can be to battle a powerful opponent."

"Yeah, I do."

"Despite my title, I don't have many opportunities to do something like this," said Diantha. "My position is mostly administrative, unfortunately. It's terribly inappropriate of me given the circumstances, but I confess that I'm enjoying this more than I should."

Ash threw his next Poké Ball. Melmetal came out of it and landed on the battlefield.

"This would be a lot more fun if you took me seriously," said Ash.

"Are you implying that I'm not taking this battle seriously?"

Serena tightened her fists. Her stomach knotted itself again. What if Diantha _wasn't _battling seriously?

"I don't mean the battle!" said Ash. "I mean all the things I've said!"

"Ash, I-"

"Do you trust me at all?!"

Ash's question interrupted Diantha and led to a few seconds of silence. Ash spoke again.

"You saw what I did against Team Flare! You were there! Do you really think I would do the kind of stuff that Palermo says I did?"

Diantha folded her arms.

"No, I don't," she said. "It's shocking to me. It defies everything I thought I knew about you and your friends. Unfortunately, I know for a fact that the evidence I was shown came from a trustworthy source. I have no choice but to accept it. The truth is the truth, no matter how much I don't want it to be true."

"It's not the truth! Palermo lied!"

"I have been the champion of Kalos for longer than you have been alive, and I knew Palermo for that long before I was ever the champion. I know her better than you know _anyone."_

"She can still lie to you!"

"Enough of this!" said Diantha. She reached for two Poké Balls. "It's time, Gardevoir!"

Diantha exchanged Goodra for Gardevoir. Serena felt a chill creep down all of her limbs as Gardevoir materialized on the battlefield with her head bowed. As she looked up at Melmetal, she seemed to shimmer in the frigid air, emanating a subtle light that made the snowflakes glitter as they fell from the sky.

A pendant hung from Gardevoir's neck. Serena knew exactly what it was.

Diantha raised a hand to give a command. Ash gave one first.

"Double Iron Bash!"

"Shadow Ball."

Mirroring Diantha's posture, Gardevoir raised one hand toward Melmetal and took half a step forward. Melmetal's giant fists glinted in the light. The ground rumbled as it plodded forward, raising its fists for a powerful blow. Gardevoir did not move. She did not even mega evolve. She made no apparent effort to defend herself at all.

Instead, just as Melmetal was about to deliver what surely would have been a decisive, crushing hit, everything went unnaturally quiet. There was a split-second of deafening silence. At the same time, everything surrounding Melmetal and Gardevoir was cast simultaneously in intense light and deep shadow, as if somehow visible only in black and white.

Gardevoir shot a ball of dark energy from her palm. It seemed to Serena like it happened in slow motion. The ball passed directly through Melmetal, but it wasn't because Melmetal morphed its body around it. Melmetal toppled over backward, and the color returned.

Gardevoir lowered her hand. Melmetal was out cold.

"What?" said Ash. His jaw hung loose, his shock plainly visible even from Serena's distance.

"You can thank Gourgeist for that," said Diantha. "I may have never seen a Pokémon like Melmetal before, but I do know that it is weak to ghost type attacks, because Gourgeist _made it _part ghost. That was her _trick. _Or her _treat, _from my point of view."

Astonished, Ash didn't say anything. He merely stared for several seconds before returning Melmetal to its ball. Serena cursed herself for counting too early. Ash's advantage was gone. She had jinxed it. Ash only had Pikachu and Greninja now.

Then again, Ash was down to _Pikachu _and _Greninja. _The battle was far from over.

Ash looked at Pikachu, who stood beside him. The two exchanged a glance.

"Ready, buddy?"

Pikachu replied in the affirmative and ran back onto the battlefield.

Neither Gardevoir nor Diantha moved. Ash pumped his fist.

"Pikachu, Thunderbolt!"

Once again moving much faster than Serena expected she could, Diantha made an exchange, wielding two Poké Balls at once. Gardevoir vanished. Goodra took her place. The Thunderbolt hit her directly. She shook it off like a minor annoyance.

"Quick Attack!"

"Power Whip!

"Dodge!"

Pikachu dashed like a white, electric blur. One instant, he stood in front of Ash. The next, in front of Goodra. Goodra swung with her antennae. Pikachu wasn't there. He was gone, already in the air.

"Iron Tail!"

"Dragon Tail!"

Pikachu brought his metallic tail crashing down, and Goodra intercepted. Tail to tail, the two of them were locked in a brief power struggle.

"Thunderbolt!"

"Dragon Pulse!"

Pikachu's cheeks sparked. Already in contact with his target, he sent the Thunderbolt out of his tail and directly into Goodra's. Goodra was already charging a blast in her mouth, but she let out a cry from the shock. By the time she shook it off, Pikachu was already gone, racing away. She fired the Dragon Pulse, and she chased Pikachu with a beam of brilliant energy.

Pikachu cut a sharp turn in front of one of the statues that decorated the courtyard. Goodra's blast hit it, and the statue went toppling off its pedestal, landing with a shattering crash. Serena heard Palermo grumble to herself.

"Electro Ball!"

"Power Whip!"

Pikachu spun in the air and flung the crackling ball at Goodra. Goodra swatted it away. The ball sent a shower of sparks in all directions as it scattered on the ground.

"Quick Attack!"

Diantha did not call a move. She waited. It became clear to Serena why when Pikachu pulled back from striking at the last second.

Diantha had anticipated Ash avoiding having his attack countered.

"Thunderbolt!"

"Dragon Tail!"

At point-blank range, Pikachu fired another blistering arc of electricity at Goodra. Once again, Goodra was deterred only briefly. She pushed through it, swung her tail, and sent Pikachu flying away for the second time in the battle.

This time, Pikachu did not land in the hedges. He flipped over in the air and landed on his feet, albeit roughly, several feet behind Ash. He breathed heavily. Ash reached for another ball.

"You take a break, buddy," he said. "Greninja, go!"

Ash threw the ball high into the air. Greninja burst from it, his shadowy form silhouetted against the silvery sky. Before he landed or even began to fall, Ash called a command.

"Water Shuriken!"

"Dragon Pulse!"

"Aerial Ace!"

Greninja pulled a flurry of shuriken from what seemed like nowhere and sent them showering down on Goodra. Goodra responded by trying to blast them away, but Serena knew it was pointless. She had seen it so many times. It was only a distraction.

Greninja blinked out of existence, and a moment later reappeared behind Goodra. He was already preparing his next attack as Goodra began to spin around to see him. Ash didn't even need to call the move, but he did anyway.

"Night Slash!"

Greninja swiped. A streak of dark energy lingered in the path of his attack for a moment, then vanished as Goodra staggered backward.

Serena blinked, her face slack. It seemed Greninja had finally upgraded from Cut.

"Aerial Ace!"

Greninja charged, vanished, and reappeared before Goodra could reorient herself. When Greninja came back into sight, Goodra was already down. Dazed, she did not get up. His back to her, Greninja only turned around when Diantha returned Goodra to her ball.

"So," said Diantha, replacing Goodra's ball with another. "It has come to this."

Diantha threw the ball. Gardevoir reappeared on the battlefield. She and Greninja locked eyes.

"I can't say I'm particularly surprised," said Diantha. "The potential you two possessed was obvious the last time we faced each other."

"We've gotten a _lot _better since then."

"Good. You wouldn't stand a chance otherwise."

"I hope _you've _gotten better, because you won't stand a chance against _us, _either!"

Diantha gave Ash a measured look.

"I understand what it feels like to be in your shoes," said Diantha. "Much like you and Greninja, Gardevoir and I found ourselves in possession of extraordinary power at a young age. We achieved mega evolution when I was younger than you are now. As I'm sure you and Greninja have experienced, it's very easy to be confident in your own strength when you achieve such a feat while so young, because your raw power is so often more than enough on its own."

Diantha folded her arms. She continued.

"Despite Gardevoir and I mastering mega evolution and easily defeating all of the gym leaders of Kalos before I was a teenager, it took us ten more years to become champions. I learned the hard way that I was not the only extraordinary trainer in the world. In order for me to break through and reach the top, I had to learn a very important lesson. A lesson that Palermo helped teach me, in fact. It doesn't matter how strong you've become. You will find someone stronger than you eventually. It's only a matter of time. _There is always a greater power."_

Serena shuddered. A short distance away, Palermo grinned with malevolent pride.

"I don't know who is the strongest trainer in the world, but I know it is not me," said Diantha. "For more than fifteen years, I have defended my title against trainers who all had good reason to believe themselves to be the very best. Not one of them was, and yet I battled all of them as if they were. I made it to where I am because I learned to take nothing for granted, not my own power, and certainly not the power of my opponents. You would do well to do the same."

"I made it this far by never giving up!" said Ash. "I'm not gonna stop believing in my Pokémon and myself now!"

Diantha touched her hand to the pendant that hung from her own neck. Gardevoir's pendant glinted in tandem.

"Perhaps _you _are the greatest trainer in the world," said Diantha. "I have defeated an entire generation of trainers who _all _could have been the greatest."

Diantha bowed her head, and there was an explosion of light in all the colors of the rainbow. Gardevoir vanished inside a sphere of radiant energy. Chaotic wind rushed all around. Snowflakes melted from the burst of heat. As if breaking free from a shell, the energy surrounding Gardevoir shattered like glass and then dissipated into nothingness, like it was never there at all. Gardevoir emerged from the light transformed, her dress billowing in the wind.

Rather than respond, Ash and Greninja both bowed their heads as well. The familiar torrent of water followed. Greninja burst out of it, transformed as well. He and Gardevoir faced each other on opposite sides of the battlefield, both completely still.

"We will _make you _believe," said Ash.

"Foolish," Palermo muttered.

Silent, almost forlorn, Diantha raised a hand.

"Gardevoir, Moonblast."

Gardevoir raised her hands and formed a shimmering ball of silvery energy between them. She fired. Greninja vanished. The blast passed through the empty space where he had stood an instant before. It scattered on the ground like a splattered can of paint, the glow lingering for a few seconds before fading from sight.

Greninja reappeared behind Gardevoir.

"Night Slash!"

"Thunderbolt!"

_"What?!"_

Gardevoir's reaction time was instantaneous. As Greninja raised one arm to strike, Gardevoir snapped around at an impossible speed. Holding her palms facing each other in front of her chest, electricity crackled between them. Greninja had no time to escape before she fired.

There was a crack of thunder and a blinding flash. Greninja staggered away backward, smoking. Ash collapsed to all fours.

Palermo laughed.

"Oh, would you _look _at him!" she said. "Why, I think he's never been so shocked in his life!"

Serena felt heat flare from Delphox behind her. She turned to look and saw Delphox torn between watching the battle below and maintaining her standoff with Florges. Delphox had her teeth bared. Tiny puffs of flame leaked from the spaces between them. Florges narrowed her eyes at Delphox.

"Now now, I'd encourage you to make sure your eager friend stays out of this," said Palermo. "Should your Delphox enter the fray, I assure you I will have Florges strike her down swiftly and without mercy."

Delphox did not move. Serena grit her own teeth. Anger boiled inside her. Though she said nothing, she clenched her fists so hard they shook.

Down on all fours, Ash gasped for breath. Pikachu ran up next to him and tugged at his sleeve. Ash looked up. Out on the battlefield, Greninja slipped into the shadows and vanished, then reappeared on Ash's side of the field again. The damage that had been done to him was obvious, no matter how much he tried to hide it. He had taken a point-blank, full-power hit. Even though it had not come from an electric type Pokémon, it was still devastating.

Ash rose to one knee, then stopped.

_"Ash!"_

All around, both on the battlefield and above, heads turned in surprise. It was Clemont. Together with Korrina, Bonnie, and Lillie, he ran toward Ash. A pile of defeated guards and their Pokémon lay behind them.

Korrina ran ahead and stopped just behind Ash, with Lucario next to her.

"We're here to help!" she said.

Anger flared on Palermo's face.

"Pierre!" she shouted. "Stop them at once!"

All around, heads turned again, this time up toward the roof.

"It's Serena!" Bonnie said, pointing at her.

"And Aria!" said Lillie. "She's with her!"

"And Palermo," Korrina said, clenching both her fists and her brow.

Ash turned back to look at everyone.

"Guys, stay out of this," he said. "It's too dangerous."

"Nonsense!" said Clemont. "You can't possibly expect us to allow you to face Diantha and her Mega Gardevoir alone!"

Clemont moved to take a step forward. As he did, Monsieur Pierre snapped his fingers. Klefki vibrated, jingling its keys like mad. A glassy barrier of energy shot up between Ash and the others, separating them from him.

Her teeth bared, Korrina glared at Monsieur Pierre.

"Are we gonna have to take you out, too?" she said.

"I encourage you not to do so, mademoiselle," said Pierre. "I assure you that attempting it is not in your best interest."

Diantha raised her voice and called out to everyone.

"Both Ash and Pierre are correct," she said. "Please, do not interfere in this. You all are already in more than enough trouble without getting involved in a battle that is far too dangerous for all of you."

"Diantha!" said Clemont. "I understand that you have little reason to hold my word in high regard after the events surrounding my gym and my relationship with Korrina, but I implore you to listen to me! Palermo has deceived you! We are here to save Aria from Palermo, not to abduct her!"

"Not you, too," said Diantha. Her shoulders slumped. Her voice dripped with disappointment. "How can you of all people try to insist upon such an absurd lie when I've been shown evidence to the contrary?"

"Because it's the truth!" said Korrina.

Diantha touched her hand to her forehead. Frustration flared on her face. She shook her head.

"I can't believe this," she said. "This is insane. All of you have lost your minds."

"We're telling the truth!" said Ash. He rose to his feet again. "I don't know how, but we'll find a way to prove it to you!"

Diantha closed her eyes for a moment and shook her head again.

"Gardevoir, Moonblast."

"Greninja, Water Pulse!"

Though it was powerful in its own right, Serena knew that Greninja's Water Pulse was nothing compared to Gardevoir's Moonblast. The Water Pulse served as little more than a diversion to slow the Moonblast and force it off its intended course. Greninja disappeared in the blink of an eye and reappeared on the adjacent side of the battlefield, on Gardevoir's left.

"Water Shuriken!"

"Psychic."

Serena thought for a split-second that Diantha had made the same blunder she had made when battling Ash and Greninja with Delphox. Greninja was naturally immune to psychic attacks.

His Water Shuriken, however, were not. Gardevoir held up a palm, and both her hand and her eyes flashed indigo. The Water Shuriken all snapped to a stop as if embedding themselves in an invisible wall in midair. Once stopped, they lost their form and trickled to the ground as nothing more than raindrops.

"Aerial Ace!"

Greninja was already gone by the time his attack had been neutralized. Serena bit down on her lip as she saw Gardevoir take a hit from something invisible, staggering back a few steps. Aerial Ace made contact. The trouble was what would happen next now that Greninja was once again in close quarters. Serena held her breath.

"Night Slash!"

Greninja's hand glowed with dark energy as he prepared to swipe. He leaped into the air, ready to strike from above.

"Moonblast."

Looking directly up at Greninja, Gardevoir raised her hands over her head and charged the blast between them. She fired.

"Vanish!"

Gardevoir's attack did not hit its target. It did not hit anything at all. It rocketed away into the sky, disappearing into the low clouds.

Greninja was gone. There was no sign of him anywhere, not a single trace of movement or suspicious sound. Serena's bite on her own lip tightened. If it was the same technique she thought it was, this was not the first time she had seen Ash and Greninja use it. If that was the case, she knew where Greninja was.

Diantha, however, did not seem to know.

"Find him."

Gardevoir's eyes glowed electric blue, and her entire body was sheathed in a thin veil of light. Her feet left the ground. As she rose into the air, her body crackled with electricity, more intense with each passing second.

Serena watched the shadow beneath Gardevoir becoming fainter as she rose higher into the air. When she was almost level with the roof, she stopped. Then, she stretched both arms out at her sides, her palms facing outward. With an eerie cry, she fired.

A sphere of psychically-guided electricity pulsed out from Gardevoir's body as she discharged herself, bathing the entire area in sparks. As the blast reached the ground, everything seemed to happen at once.

"Water Pulse!"

It made just as little physical sense as every other time Serena had seen it. Greninja stepped out of Gardevoir's shadow as if stepping back into sight from around the corner of a building. The instant he reappeared, he fired. The Water Pulse cut a hole through Gardevoir's attack. Greninja jumped up through it.

"Water Shuriken!"

This time, Greninja detached the giant shuriken from his back. Before Gardevoir could make any sense of what was happening or even look down, Greninja took aim and threw it.

A moment later, it connected. Gardevoir grunted in pain, struck solidly from below. Her concentration broken, she began to fall from the sky. Greninja was still on his way up toward her.

"Night Slash!"

"Moonblast!"

There was no time for Gardevoir to prepare her attack. Greninja intercepted her and slashed, leaving behind a black, vacant trail as though he had cut directly into the void. Gardevoir went hurtling down, destined for a violent collision with the ground.

The moment she was due to crash, a wave of psychic energy deafened all sounds and made the ground rumble. On her back, her arms spread out as if trying to float in water, Gardevoir had snapped to a halt mere inches above the ground. Her eyes and body glowing, she levitated while Greninja towered overhead, streaking down toward her from the sky with his giant shuriken drawn again.

"Thunderbolt!"

"Aerial Ace!"

Gardevoir released her psychic hold on herself. She fell the remaining few inches to the ground and landed on her back. As she did, she brought her hands together and condensed electricity between them. Pulling her knees up, she sat halfway up and fired, letting out a cry as she did.

Greninja disappeared again. The blast of electricity shot off into the sky without hitting its mark. Greninja did not strike, but he reappeared behind Gardevoir. From a seated position, Gardevoir spun her head and looked over her shoulder to see him. Supporting herself with one hand as she leaned back, she shot another bolt of electricity at him with the other.

Greninja blocked the attack, using his giant shuriken as a shield. The two attacks vaporized on contact. Greninja vanished again. When he reappeared, he was on the opposite side of the battlefield. Gardevoir was flung a short distance as she was struck again, landing roughly on all fours.

Serena had to force herself to breathe. In the corner of her vision, she saw Palermo's face tighten.

Unfortunately, Serena realized she was not the only one with breathing difficulties. On the far side of the battlefield, Greninja stood halfway hunched over with his hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Much nearer, Ash made the same pose. When he spoke, he sounded as out of breath as he looked.

"We can do this. Hang in there..."

Greninja looked at Ash. While the two of them caught their breath, Gardevoir rose to her feet. Although clearly damaged, she did not appear fatigued. When she drew herself up to her full height, she did so with the same grace and poise as before the battle began. Completely calm, she momentarily closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they glowed as she hovered a few inches above the ground.

Serena saw the tightness in Palermo's face fade.

"I'll give him credit," said Palermo. "Hey may be a fool, but he's a powerful fool."

Serena gave Palermo a sideways glare.

"He's stronger than you can imagine."

"Ha! I sincerely doubt that, my dear," said Palermo.

Anger welled up in Serena's throat. Her response came louder than before.

"He's the strongest trainer in the world!"

"For half a battle, perhaps," said Palermo. "His tactics require too much exertion. His team lacks endurance because of it. Any reasonably experienced trainer can see that."

Gardevoir rose higher into the air. Greninja remained on the ground, looking up at her as he continued to struggle to catch his breath.

Palermo shook her head, a smile on her lips.

"You must think I lack imagination, dear."

Another ethereal hush came over the battlefield. All around, there was motion. The paving stones torn from the ground by the battle thus far shook, then rose into the air one by one. Then, previously undisturbed stones joined the others, ripping themselves up from the ground. Slowly, they took shape around Gardevoir, orbiting her in a sphere.

"I'm impressed," said Diantha. "You two truly have become powerful. You are not yet powerful enough to defeat us, though."

One of the stones removed itself from its orbit around Gardevoir and shot down at Greninja. Greninja rolled out of the way, the stone shattering on contact with the ground. Ash grimaced as he stood up to his full height again.

"Don't do this!" he said.

Diantha shook her head.

"You leave me no choice."

"Greninja, get ready! Water Shuriken!"

Another paving stone shot down at Greninja. Dozens more followed it. Greninja conjured a fistful of shuriken in each hand. Then, he jumped out of the way of the first stone and fired.

A hailstorm ensued. Amidst the flurry of stones, Greninja jumped from one to the other, firing his shuriken at the ones he couldn't reach. Water, dust, and shards of stone showered down onto the ground below. Some stones were cut clean in two. Others cracked. Some exploded. Many others merely shattered on the ground. Caught in the crossfire and unable to escape it, both Ash and Pikachu shielded themselves and covered their eyes while chips of stone and chunks of dirt kicked up in front of them.

Dashing through the storm at a maddening pace, Greninja closed in on Gardevoir, drawing ever closer. Her supply of stones dwindled. He was almost there.

He shot down the final stone. The giant shuriken on his back glowed. He pulled it off and held it high, ready to strike. There was nothing but air between him and his target.

Gardevoir extended both arms to her sides. Her body crackled. She shot out another spherical pulse of electricity.

Greninja fell. Knocked back, his shuriken was blown away. It embedded itself in the ground upon landing. Greninja tumbled through the air, crackling with sparks. He landed roughly on his back, bouncing once before coming to a stop. Ash dropped down to all fours, gritting his teeth in pain.

With one fist clenched, Greninja pushed himself back up onto his knees with his other hand. He looked up. He froze.

High overhead, Gardevoir held a massive Moonblast between her hands.

"That's it! Machoke, Brick Break!"

Ash turned his head. As he did, Korrina's Machoke charged the barrier Klefki had created. With an echoing _kiai,_ he delivered a sharp, piercing blow with the side of his hand. Like glass, the barrier shattered.

"We're coming to help!" said Clemont. "Get ready, Luxray!"

Luxray ran up beside Ash and Pikachu. With his teeth bared, he growled. Lucario was right behind him.

"Guys, don't-"

_"Stay out of this!"_

Palermo shouted down at them from above, her face lined with anger. Her eyes shifted, and she spoke again.

"Pierre, what are you doing?"

Monsieur Pierre bowed his head.

"I cannot stop them, madame."

Korrina ran up beside Lucario with both fists clenched. Glaring up at Palermo, she pointed at her.

"This is it, Lucario! This is our chance! It's time to stop her once and for all!"

Lucario howled.

"Florges! Stop them!"

The rooftop shook. Both Serena and Palermo turned around to look. Florges and Delphox were locked in a power struggle, each of them holding back the other. Indigo light and pulses of psychic energy radiated off of them in waves. Serena could have sworn that she could _hear _it. All she truly heard was Delphox's growl as she shook from the exertion.

_"Aromatisse, Flash Cannon!"_

Serena did not even have enough time to gasp. Beside her, Aria sprang to life and threw a Poké Ball high into the air off the roof. It burst open, and Aromatisse materialized, already charging the blast. A second later, she fired.

At _Gardevoir._

Blindsided, Gardevoir was shot down to the ground. The Moonblast she held slipped from her fingers and then vanished into the air like mist on the wind. Horrified, Diantha turned to look up at the roof, aghast.

_"Aria!"_

"Diantha, stop this!" said Aria. "Ash and his friends are telling the truth!"

A tremendous pulse of psychic energy rolled over the rooftop. For a moment, Serena thought she might faint. With her eyes glowing brighter than ever before, Florges swept one hand aside. She swept Delphox away, flinging her halfway across the roof. With a sweep of her other hand, Florges pulled Aromatisse out of the sky and sent her crashing back down on the roof. Aria turned to run to Aromatisse, but she froze when Palermo spoke again.

"Silence!" said Palermo. She turned her attention to Diantha. "Don't listen to her! Aria is delusional from her time in captivity!"

"Aria, I'm here to help you!" said Diantha. "Please, don't interfere in this! I'm not your enemy!"

Aria seemed momentarily torn. She returned Aromatisse to her ball and then ran back over to the edge of the roof.

"Ash isn't lying!" she said. _"Palermo _is my enemy!"

Diantha looked dumbfounded. Her eyes shifted back and forth between Aria and Palermo, and then to the battlefield again. On the ground, Gardevoir rose to her feet.

On the opposite side of the field, both Ash and Greninja stood tall. With his feet shoulder-width apart, Ash reached into his pocket and removed something from it.

He slipped it around his wrist.

"This is it, Greninja. We've gotta do it. It's the only way."

Serena's mouth hung open as she watched. For the first time since she left Alola, she saw it again, the dance like the waves of the sea.

As Ash struck the final pose, the gem on his wrist glowed a brilliant sapphire. So did Greninja's eyes.

Then came the roar. From nowhere, a deafening torrent of water erupted beneath Greninja. Whirling wildly, it spun like a rope coiling around him until he was visible no more, hidden inside the vortex.

Diantha backed up several steps. Like a tornado of water, the vortex towered high above, at least twice as tall as the mansion itself.

"Gardevoir! Moonblast! Full power!"

Gardevoir held her hands above her head. Almost immediately, Serena had to look away. The ball of energy that formed between Gardevoir's hands was as bright as the sun and was wider than she was tall. It seared Serena's eyes to so much as glance at it. Thin shadows danced all around as the light from it flickered.

The vortex surrounding Greninja intensified. It scoured the ground, tearing up clumps of bare earth.

"Almost there, Greninja!" said Ash. "Just a little more! Get ready!"

Diantha stepped forward and extended her hand.

"Fire!"

For a moment, Serena's heart stopped. As she cowered from the burning light with her eyes hidden behind her arm, she knew in her heart that this was it. No matter how strong he had become, there was no way Greninja could endure such a powerful blast. The battle was over.

Except it wasn't.

"Klefki, Light Screen!"

There was a jingle, followed by a flash. Serena uncovered her eyes and saw the remnants of Gardevoir's attack scattering in all directions. Klefki hovered in the middle of the battlefield, between Gardevoir and Greninja.

"What in the _world?!"_

Incensed, Palermo took a step forward, nearing the edge of the roof. Anger lined her face.

Down below, Monsieur Pierre stepped forward from behind Clemont, Korrina, and the others. He bowed.

"Forgive me, madame, but in the interest of the Kalos Queen I must end this charade."

Palermo clenched her teeth. She quivered with fury.

"Pierre! You _scoundrel!"_

Monsieur Pierre faced Diantha. Diantha stared at him, wide-eyed and slaw-jawed, stunned.

"Madame Diantha, I beg of you to heed the words of Master Ash and his friends, for they are telling the truth."

Diantha stood there frozen. She did not even blink, let alone speak. No one did.

Until Ash did.

"Greninja, Hydro Vortex!"

A glint of light came from deep within the center of the vortex. Then, the vortex moved. Ripping up the ground beneath it as it advanced, it raced across the battlefield toward Gardevoir. Despite the fear in her eyes, Gardevoir stood her ground. She put up a psychic barrier and braced herself for impact.

Then, she disappeared into the torrent.

Seconds passed. The vortex roared like a waterfall, drowning out all other sounds. It grew more intense with each passing moment until it no longer looked like a spinning waterspout, but instead a solid blue cone of energy standing on its apex. At the final moment, as the attack reached the peak of its power, the vortex became transparent. For an instant, Serena saw Greninja in the center with his eyes shut and head bowed, completely calm. Gardevoir whirled around inside at a frightening speed, caught in the deluge and unable to stop.

And then, it all stopped. The vortex snapped to a halt, and the water scattered in all directions and vanished into thin air. Gardevoir was ejected, landing violently on the ground below. Greninja was frozen in midair, still in his meditative pose.

As Gardevoir skidded to a halt in front of Diantha's feet, Serena's eyes widened. Gardevoir's transformation had faded. She was back in her normal form.

Diantha knelt down and placed a hand on Gardevoir's shoulder. Gardevoir did not move.

Greninja dropped to the ground. Though he landed on his feet, he was quick to drop to his hands and knees. Behind him, Ash's knees gave out and he toppled over, landing on his backside. Propping himself up with his hands, he sat upright.

While Greninja crouched on all fours and labored for breath, his transformation also faded.

"We did it..."

Greninja looked back at Ash. Ash was only able to force the words out between heavy breaths. He wore a weary smile on his face. He looked as exhausted as Serena had ever seen him. She expected to hear him laugh, but she doubted he had the energy for it. At the moment, it looked like sitting up was a strain for him.

Beside Ash, Pikachu looked between him, Greninja, and Diantha. On the far side of the battlefield, Diantha held a hand to Gardevoir's cheek, then returned her to her ball. She stood again.

Greninja slumped over on his side, completely spent. Without a command, Pikachu ran out onto the battlefield, placing himself in front of Greninja.

Diantha held another Poké Ball. Serena struggled to do the math, her head swimming with nerves and adrenaline. Pikachu was Ash's only Pokémon left. She was certain Diantha only had one left, too, but she could not remember which one.

Her train of thought was interrupted.

"You _wretched _boy!"

Furious, Palermo stood at the very edge of the roof with her fists clenched at her sides, glowering down at everyone below. As though she were lost, Diantha's eyes darted between the roof and the ground, unable to determine where to look. Eventually, her eyes settled on Palermo. She called up to her.

"Please tell me this isn't happening," said Diantha. "This can't be real. There must be some kind of mistake."

Tight-fisted and tight-lipped, Palermo glared down at Diantha, but said nothing. Monsieur Pierre took a step forward onto the battlefield.

"Madame Diantha, there is much to explain, but by my honor I swear to you that Master Ash and his friends have told you nothing but the truth, strange although it seems."

Ash let out a single huff of laughter, a tired smile on his face.

"Told ya."

Her mouthing hanging open in disbelief, Diantha looked up at Palermo again. She shook her head.

"No... I-"

"What are you doing?!" shouted Palermo. "The battle isn't over! Finish him!"

Diantha hesitated.

"I..."

"The boy can't even stand! Finish the fight while you still can!"

Diantha shook her head again. There was something else in her eyes beside her disbelief. Perhaps it was horror. Perhaps it was fear. Serena couldn't tell.

"No," said Diantha, her voice quiet but firm. "I won't."

"Then if you won't, _I will!"_

Florges shot several feet up into the air behind Palermo, shining deep indigo. From her hands, she emitted a pulse of psychic energy that made Serena's stomach turn from its sheer force. She wasn't certain if it was her vision that distorted, or if the air actually distorted from the raw power.

Either way, the end result was the same. On the ground below, everyone behind Ash was knocked over, blown back and thrown several feet, people and Pokémon included. Lucario was the first to his feet, ready to jump into action.

"Moonblast!"

Her hands held high above her head, Florges conjured her own brilliant sphere of silvery energy. Before anyone was ready, before anyone was on their feet again or could call an attack, Florges fired.

Serena's heart stopped.

Florges hadn't fired at Lucario. She hadn't fired at a Pokémon at all.

She had fired at Ash.

Cast in the stark light, Serena saw Ash's face slacken as he looked up at the blast rocketing toward him. He was defenseless. There was no escape.

From the other side of the field, Diantha threw her final Poké Ball. Again, Serena was amazed by the speed and accuracy of the throw. With a low sidearm motion, Diantha placed the trajectory of the ball directly in front of Ash. It seemed to begin the process of opening before it reached him.

_"Aurorus, Mirror Coat!"_

Like a chance alignment of the planets, everything coincided. Aurorus fully materialized. Before she even had her feet on the ground in front of Ash, she was preparing her counterattack. She exhaled, and a perfect sheet of thin, glassy ice condensed from her breath in the air. The shine of the Moonblast glinted off of it, the reflection momentarily blinding Serena.

The blast touched the mirror. Serena expected to see it splash off of it, or to pass through it entirely. Instead, the light intensified. The mirror shattered, and the blast _bounced back._

Aria grabbed her wrist.

"Get down!"

As Aria pulled her down, Serena saw Delphox snatch her wand up from the ground and struggle to her feet, then lunge toward the two of them. With an arm held in front of herself in an attempt to shield herself, Palermo hurried to back away from the edge. Florges tried to fly around in front of Palermo to intercept the blast, but it was too late.

There was a deafening explosion. The reflected Moonblast struck the façade of the mansion precisely below where Palermo's feet had been mere moments before. Stone and steel cracked and tore, blown away by the impact. A hail of boulders and shrapnel shot in all directions as Serena felt the roof give out underneath her.

What happened next happened too quickly for her to comprehend. She covered her head. She saw Florges trying to hold it all back, and Delphox flying toward her, and Palermo falling into the gaping hole left beneath them.

Then, she saw nothing at all.

When her vision returned several seconds later, the first thing she felt was the unique, peculiar feeling of not being able to piece together how she had ended up where she was. She felt solid ground beneath her. Not concrete or stone, but bare dirt. She was in the courtyard, on her hands and knees. She heard heavy breathing beside her and looked in that direction to find Aria also on her knees, slowly rising to sit up as she uncovered her head. She looked every bit as confused as Serena felt.

Serena heard a rougher, more ragged breath from her opposite side. She turned her head and saw Delphox crouching there, short of breath and supporting herself with her wand as though it were a cane. The two of them met eyes. Delphox sank to the ground in a seated position.

A rumbling sound came from the mansion. Serena looked up, and her jaw dropped. She scrambled to sit upright on her knees. Where she had stood only seconds before was now replaced by a massive hole. The mansion looked like it had been bombed. Rubble was strewn all around the courtyard. Smoke billowed from the hole as fire welled up within it.

Serena looked back at Delphox.

"Did... you do this?" she said, pointing to herself and Aria.

Delphox held Serena's gaze for a moment. She gave Serena a single nod.

Stunned, Serena said nothing for a while. Then, she placed her hand on Delphox's head, between her ears. She dug her fingers into her fur. Delphox froze. Astonished, her eyes widened.

Likewise, Serena froze when she realized she heard footsteps come to a stop in front of her. She looked up.

Monsieur Pierre stood before her. He offered her his hand.

"Forgive me, mademoiselle, but there remains much to be done."


	16. Falling into Infinity

Chapter Sixteen – Falling into Infinity

Bewildered, Serena gazed up at Monsieur Pierre.

"Please, mademoiselle, I understand that this must be terribly confusing, but I must urge you that time is of the essence."

Cautious, Serena reached up and took hold of Monsieur Pierre's hand. With a delicate yet firm grip, Pierre pulled her up to her feet. Serena watched as he did the same for Aria.

"Are you injured, my queen?"

Aria dusted off her knees. Her enigmatic smile returned. It was the first time Serena had seen it in weeks.

"No," said Aria. "I'm unharmed, somehow."

"Good," said Pierre. "We will have more time to discuss everything later. For now, we must act quickly. We have no time to waste. I shall gather the others and explain the situation."

When Pierre turned, he stopped. Serena stood in his path. As confused as ever, she stared at him. With her lips parted, she hesitated a moment before she spoke.

"I... want to thank you, but I'm not sure if I should," she said.

"Please do not, mademoiselle. We do not have the time, nor am I worthy of your gratitude."

Serena did not understand. She blinked and shook her head a few times. Pierre had already stepped past her.

"Why are you in such a hurry? What's wrong?"

"We have not yet secured the Kalos Queen's safety," said Pierre, stopping to look back over his shoulder. "We must evacuate, posthaste."

_"Evacuate?"_

"Emergency personnel will undoubtedly swarm the premises in a matter of minutes, mademoiselle. We must not be here when they arrive."

Monsieur Pierre turned and resumed his brisk walk in the direction of Ash and the others. Uncertain what to think, Serena looked around. Aria stood a short distance away. With her hands in her back pockets, she watched the flames rise from the massive hole left behind by the blast. Delphox sat on the ground, her head bowed and her eyes closed, clearly exhausted. Serena walked over to her.

"Thank you. You can rest now. We're safe."

Delphox opened her eyes and looked up. Serena wasn't sure why, but as she returned Delphox to her Poké Ball, the way Delphox's eyes lingered on her made her heart miss a beat.

As Serena returned Delphox's ball to her bag, she saw Diantha standing in the distance. Much like Aria, Diantha gazed at the growing fire inside the mansion. Looking troubled, she held one hand against her cheek, and she cradled the elbow of that arm in her other hand. Serena saw her shoulders rise as she inhaled deeply, then sink again as she slowly let it all out.

All was quiet. The dim afternoon light was beginning to change shades to orange and red as the sun approached the horizon. Snowflakes fell steadily now. Serena wasn't certain, but she thought she saw the glint of tears in the corners of Diantha's eyes.

"Everyone, if I may have your attention, please!"

Monsieur Pierre called from the center of the courtyard. On the opposite side, Serena saw everyone else standing there with him. With the exception of Pikachu, everyone's Pokémon had been returned to their Poké Balls. Pikachu was not in his usual place on Ash's shoulder. Ash did not look capable of supporting him. He could not even support himself. Looking like he had just been in a fight himself, he was supported on both sides by Clemont and Korrina, one arm over each of their shoulders.

Serena looked back, and she saw both Aria and Diantha walking toward Monsieur Pierre and the others. She joined them.

With everyone gathered, Monsieur Pierre spoke again.

"I beg everyone's pardon that we have not had an opportunity to communicate openly about this situation until now. The queen and I only had a brief chance to discuss these matters in private this morning. As I understand it, you all have procured a private aircraft in which the queen can travel to a safe location. Is this correct?"

"Yes, that's correct," said Lillie. "The jet belongs to the foundation run by my family. The destination is a private island in the middle of the ocean, near Alola."

"And this location is safe?" said Pierre.

"It's a protected sanctuary," said Lillie. "No one can enter or leave without prior authorization from the foundation."

"Have you received the required authorization for the queen to enter?"

"My brother is aware of Aria's situation. He is the acting president. He has given her permission to stay there."

"And what about the rest of you?"

"The rest of us?"

Lillie's question was echoed by the skeptical looks on everyone else's faces.

"Mademoiselle, you and your friends will not be safe here in Kalos in the aftermath of what has taken place here today. Madame Palermo's reach and influence are vast. You will be wanted by the law and reviled by the general public until the truth is understood. All of you must leave the region until then."

"We can't just _leave _here!" said Bonnie. "This is our home!"

"I understand your reticence, mademoiselle, but it is the only way to guarantee your safety."

Bonnie narrowed her eyes and pouted at Monsieur Pierre.

"Are you a good guy now, or what?" she said.

"That is a question that is too complicated for me to answer in the limited time we have, but insofar as you are concerned, the answer is _yes, _mademoiselle."

Bonnie crossed her arms. She did not look convinced.

"So, we've all gotta get on the plane?" said Ash.

"Yes, that is correct," said Pierre.

"We do indeed need to hurry, then," said Clemont. "We have been fortunate so far that the cold front arrived later than expected, but as you can see, it is here now."

Clemont held out his hand. In the few seconds of silence that followed, several snowflakes landed and melted in his palm.

"I confess that I know little about either aviation or meteorology," said Pierre, "but from what little I understand, I strongly suspect that we do not have much time before all flights at the airport are grounded until the storm passes."

"Yes, agreed," said Clemont. He wiped his hand on his coveralls. "At this rate, I would guess we have about an hour until conditions deteriorate to the point that takeoff becomes too dangerous and air traffic control shuts down the airport."

Monsieur Pierre nodded grimly.

"It is as I feared, then," he said. "We will need to get all of you to the airport as soon as possible."

He turned his head back toward the mansion, then grimaced.

"Unfortunately, the best method we had for transporting everyone is no longer an option."

Pierre's eyes landed on the limousine in which Diantha and the security guards had arrived. Or rather, the remains of it. A massive chunk of marble from the mansion had fallen on it. It had been crushed like a tin can. Shattered glass littered the ground around it, the grisly remains of all the windows being blown out by the impact.

"There should still be two more vehicles available in the garage," said Pierre. "Neither of them is large enough to carry all of us, though. We will require two drivers, and therein lies another problem."

Pierre's eyes shifted to the scene in front of the mansion's front steps. The dozen security guards and their defeated Pokémon all lay there strewn about in the aftermath of the battle, unconscious.

"Regrettably, all of our other drivers are indisposed," said Pierre.

"Hey!" said Korrina. "How were we supposed to know what you were gonna do? You tried to stop us!"

"I admit, by all appearances you were right to assume me to be your adversary," said Pierre. "I do wish, however, that my pleas to refrain from violence had been heeded."

Korrina made an awkward face. She raised a hand to the back of her head.

"Did you really think we wouldn't fight back when we were surrounded by a bunch of thugs?" she said.

Monsieur Pierre gave Korrina a flat, disappointed glance.

"No, mademoiselle, I did not. Was it really necessary that you knock out all of _them, _though? Was defeating their Pokémon not enough?"

Korrina made a forced, toothy smile and let out a nervous laugh.

"I just... wanted to be sure they couldn't stop us," she said.

"Regardless of the motivation, we are now in the predicament of needing two vehicles but having only one person capable of driving," said Pierre.

Serena looked over her shoulder. She found that she was not the only one who had turned their attention to Diantha. Diantha noticed all of the eyes on her and gave everyone a bashful look.

"Sorry to disappoint you all, but I've never driven a car in my life," she said. She waved her hands, visibly embarrassed. "I've been chauffeured everywhere since I was a little girl. That's how celebrity life works."

With pursed lips, Aria nodded.

"It's the same for me," she said. "I may be old enough, but I've never had the chance to learn."

"And none of you have any driving experience, I presume?" Pierre asked, glancing at everyone else.

While everyone else shook their heads, Korrina slowly raised her hand. As she did, another toothy, awkward grin crept onto her face.

"I have a learner's permit, actually," she said.

Monsieur Pierre clenched his eyes shut and pinched the bridge of his nose.

_"Merde..." _he muttered.

* * *

A few minutes later, Serena found herself on the most awkward car ride of her life. She and Lillie sat in the back seat, while Aria sat in the passenger seat opposite Monsieur Pierre, who drove. Serena stared out the window as they sped through the empty streets, the roads slowly but surely beginning to accumulate snow. There was nothing more for her to do. She was merely along for the ride.

In the seat in front of her, Aria remained similarly quiet. She had been reduced to nothing more than cargo. All the while, Lillie spoke over the video phone built into the console, making arrangements with Gladion. The Aether Foundation's private jet was at the airport. The pilot and the crew had all departed to stay the night at a hotel. They would all have to be summoned back immediately. They were not going to be happy about it, and it was going to take some time.

Time, as Lillie and Monsieur Pierre both emphasized, that they could not afford to waste.

Serena looked back over her shoulder. She had lost sight of the other car. Considering who was behind the wheel, Serena could only imagine how wild their ride was. Despite their speed, she wondered if Korrina had somehow already beaten them to the airport.

Serena's focus returned as Lillie's phone call ended. As Monsieur Pierre rounded a turn, the tires skidding momentarily on the icy road, Serena saw the airport looming in the distance. Sunset approached.

Lillie sighed.

"I'm not sure we're going to be able to take off in time," she said. "There's so much that needs to be done..."

As she trailed off, the sound of the windshield wipers punctuated the silence. The blades pushed the snowflakes aside, forming a clear arc on the windshield, surrounded by white.

"It's really getting worse out here, isn't it?" said Lillie. "I'm... I'm worried."

"I understand your concern, mademoiselle," said Pierre. "I am afraid that at this point, there is only so much we can do."

"Yes, I understand that, too," said Lillie. "Shouldn't we have a backup plan, though? What do we do if the plane can't take off in time? What if the police show up to stop us?"

"Although I typically detest conducting my business in such a manner, I confess that I am unfortunately operating without a proper plan at this point," said Pierre. "While my gambit essentially worked, it did not exactly go according to plan."

"Your gambit?" said Lillie. "What do you mean?"

"Madame Palermo believed that Master Ash would not be able to defeat Madame Diantha. I believed the opposite."

"You were right about that, weren't you?" said Lillie.

"Not entirely," said Pierre. "I expected Madame Diantha's defeat to lead swiftly and directly to Madame Palermo's downfall. Much to our chagrin, there has been nothing swift nor direct about it."

Lillie looked at Serena.

"She was caught in the explosion, wasn't she?" Lillie asked.

Serena nodded.

"Delphox got me and Aria out of there just in time," she said. "Florges tried to block the blast, but she was too late. I saw Palermo... _fall inside."_

Lillie's jaw tightened. She swallowed, then looked down at her lap. In a hushed tone, she spoke again.

"She's... _dead,_ isn't she?"

Serena's heart lurched at the word. She knew right away that she had felt it for a while, the creeping sense of dread as though it were waiting right around a dark corner, the inevitable consequence of the perpetual escalation of this affair. Despite all of the close calls she had experienced in her travels, _death _had never truly seemed possible. For the first time, it felt real. Palermo was never going to stop until _someone _was dead.

It was obvious, and it should have been obvious all along. As Serena realized it, her heart accelerated, and her palms dampened with sweat.

"I am afraid it is far more likely that she is alive and well, mademoiselle."

Lillie abruptly looked up again.

"Are you serious?" said Lillie. "Do you really think she survived that?"

"As long as Madame Palermo has Florges with her, I have no reason to doubt her safety."

"But... the explosion!" said Lillie. "And the fire..."

"Impossible as it may seem, I have learned never to underestimate Madame Palermo, mademoiselle. Perhaps she did meet her demise today, but if I know her at all, I have no reason to believe that she will go so quietly."

"That was _quiet?"_ said Lillie.

"In a manner of speaking, yes."

"I hope we don't get to find out what she would consider to be _loud, _then."

"I share your hope, mademoiselle."

The snow grew heavier and heavier as they approached the airport. By the time they reached the terminal loop, their progress had slowed to a crawl. Serena gazed woefully at the glass façade of the immense building as they crept past. She remembered her previous visits to this place. One of them she remembered all too well. The other she barely remembered at all.

She broke free from her reverie when Pierre made an unexpected turn. Serena double-checked the sign on the nearby gate.

_AUTHORIZED ACCESS ONLY_

Both Serena and Lillie opened their mouths to say something at the same time. As if expecting it, Monsieur Pierre answered the question before it could be asked.

"Yes, we are authorized," he said. "Or, to be more precise, I am."

They approached a fence. It was topped with barbed wire. A bright yellow sign affixed to it warned that it was electrified. A gatehouse stood before it. They slowed as they rolled up to the gate. As they stopped, a guard emerged from the tiny building. Monsieur Pierre rolled down his window. He produced some kind of badge from his coat pocket and handed it to the guard.

"Good evening," said Pierre.

"Ay, Pierre!" said the guard. He took the badge from Pierre. "Going on holiday, huh?"

"Indeed, monsieur," said Pierre.

The guard flipped the badge over in his hands once, taking only a cursory glance at it. Seemingly satisfied, he handed it back to Monsieur Pierre.

"Somewhere warmer, I hope," said the guard.

"Hoenn is supposed to be lovely this time of year, from what I have heard," said Pierre.

"Ah, making me jealous!" said the guard. He stepped back from the window. "Have a good trip!"

"Thank you," said Pierre. He pressed a button, and his window rolled up. The guard stepped back inside the guardhouse. A moment later, the gate ahead of them swung open.

They passed through. The gate shut behind them. Serena looked back and saw the guard take a sip of coffee before picking up a newspaper, not a care in the world.

"As you can see, airport security is rather lax when one has the appropriate connections," said Pierre.

Serena wasn't certain whether to be relieved or alarmed. Her mind quickly shifted away from that thought as they proceeded down several private roads. Acutely aware of being somewhere she was not supposed to be, Serena's stomach tied itself in knots as they passed hangar after hangar, the numbers slowly increasing. At last, they turned.

They pulled up in front of yet another massive building made of sheet metal, completely nondescript and identical to all the others save for the number on the sign over the giant sliding doors.

_Hangar 18_

Monsieur Pierre stopped the car. Lillie was quick to open her door and step outside.

"Gladion said the jet was parked here," she said. "He told me the passcode. Hopefully it will work. Just a minute, please!"

Lillie hurried to the side door of the hangar, keeping her head down as she ran through the snow. While everyone else waited for her, Serena watched as snowflakes landed on the windshield and melted from the heat inside the car, trailing down the glass as nothing but water droplets.

After entering several numbers on the keypad next to the door, Lillie pressed one final button. She turned the handle. The door opened. She waved back to everyone in the car. All at once, Monsieur Pierre shut off the engine and the remaining three car doors opened. Everyone hurried to join Lillie at the door.

It was dark inside the hanger. Lillie took a few cautious steps.

"I can't see anything in here," she said. "There must be a light switch somewhere."

Serena reached for her bag and pulled out Delphox's ball. A moment later, the flame from Delphox's wand illuminated the area. Aria wandered toward an electrical panel on the wall near the door. She flipped a switch. There was a loud, echoing click, followed by a buzz. Then, the lights above flickered to life.

In the dim fluorescent glare, Serena at last saw their target, the entire reason why they had come to this place. A jet towered before them in the middle of the hangar, solid white save for a gold symbol on the tail rudder.

"This is it, I presume?" said Pierre. His hands folded behind his back, he took a few meandering steps toward it, then stopped, his footsteps echoing all around.

"Yes," said Lillie. She gave an affirmative nod.

"Very good," said Pierre. "Now we wait for the others."

In the quiet of the minutes that followed, Lillie busied herself with looking over the jet. Serena was sure it was nerves driving Lillie. She knew Lillie had many levels of hidden depths, but she had serious doubts that Lillie knew anything about aircraft. For one, she figured that Lillie's escape from the Aether Paradise would have come much sooner if she had known how to fly a plane.

Beside her, Serena noticed Delphox's evident exhaustion. An idea came to her, and she called out Ribombee. Ribombee used Pollen Puff on Delphox. In a matter of moments, Delphox's fatigue vanished.

Once Serena returned Ribombee to her ball, she noticed Aria and Monsieur Pierre engaged in a conversation some distance away. Unsure if she was supposed to hear any of it, she wandered toward them.

"Truly, my queen, my sincerest apologies," said Pierre. "My conduct has been disgraceful. I should have taken action much sooner. I have failed in my mission to protect you."

"Pierre, you saved us," said Aria. "I should be thanking you."

"I was cowardly, my queen. I have disgraced you. I did not have the courage to oppose Madame Palermo without assistance, nor the strength. I allowed my duties to coexist at cross purposes with each other for far too long. Had I been a man of greater integrity, perhaps I could have liberated you from her long ago."

"It's not your fault," said Aria. "We... _needed _help. I was too stubborn to accept it."

"You are a proud queen," said Pierre. "You have every reason to be. You refused to let her win. You were the first. For that above all else, you have reason to be proud."

"Pierre..."

"There is no shame in needing help, my queen. Everyone, from royals to the common man, needs help at some point. It is a fact of life."

"I wish I hadn't needed it."

"My queen, it brings me such joy to see that despite what Madame Palermo inflicted upon you, you were still able to form bonds with others such that they chose to help you in your hour of need, despite the danger."

Aria went tight-lipped for a moment and gazed at her feet.

"I wish I shared your view," she said.

"I do not expect that you would see this the same way I do, my queen."

"I feel like Palermo has beaten me, utterly and completely."

"I assure you she has not."

"I can't do anything to help myself anymore. I'm completely at the mercy of others. This is all out of my hands now."

"How fortunate, then, that you have made such capable friends."

"Pierre... Palermo _won. _I _failed."_

"If I may, my queen, please allow me to say that I hold a different opinion."

"Are you actually asking permission?"

"It would be most improper for me not to do so, my queen."

Aria shifted awkwardly.

"You don't need to be so formal," she said. "Palermo isn't here. You can speak freely. You know I never asked you to address me that way."

"I beg your pardon, mademoiselle," said Pierre. "As I am certain you understand, habits acquired over the course of many years can be challenging to break. Dare I say it, they are perhaps the most stubborn things of all."

"Just say what you want to say," said Aria. "It's okay, whatever it is."

Pierre straightened himself as if searching for the courage to speak.

"Well, mademoiselle, what I wish to say is this. I do not believe you to be a failure in any respect, certainly not in regard to your resistance to Madame Palermo's oppression. Despite your perception of the situation, what I know to be true is that you have succeeded where no one else ever has. You, and you alone, had the courage to resist. Your indomitable spirit has triumphed, mademoiselle. I have never been more honored to call you my queen."

Aria tightened her lips again. She swallowed. Serena was unsure at first if she saw tears forming in Aria's eyes, but she was certain of it once she heard Aria sniffle.

"Oh, dear," said Pierre. He reached into his coat pocket and handed Aria a handkerchief. "My sincere apologies, mademoiselle. I am terribly sorry for upsetting you."

Aria took the handkerchief and dabbed her eyes with it. She sniffled again. She looked up at Pierre and shook her head.

"Don't apologize, please," said Aria. "You didn't upset me."

"Still, that was terribly improper of me," said Pierre. "I am most embarrassed of my conduct."

"No, it was not, and you have no reason to be embarrassed," said Aria. She dabbed her eyes with the handkerchief again. "Now, please, come here."

Monsieur Pierre appeared deeply confused. He was already standing at arm's length from Aria.

"Closer, mademoiselle?" he said.

"Yes."

"I am afraid I don't understand, mademoiselle. This seems rather improper, don't you think?"

"Not at all," said Aria.

"I… am most concerned about this, mademoiselle."

"Pierre, I am giving you a hug," said Aria. "Please, if you feel that you can, return my embrace."

"Is… that an order, mademoiselle?"

"If that's what it will take to get you to share a hug with me, then yes, it is."

"Very well, mademoiselle."

Still clutching Monsieur Pierre's handkerchief in one hand, Aria closed the distance between the two of them and wrapped her arms around him. The shorter one for once, she placed her forehead against his shoulder. Tentatively, Monsieur Pierre placed his hands on Aria's back.

"Thank you, Pierre," said Aria. "Thank you for everything."

"It has been my pleasure, my queen."

Aria lingered for a while. As she did, Serena watched, transfixed, her eyes stuck on one particular detail. Pierre's handkerchief stuck out between Aria's fingers, the white fabric contrasting sharply against his black coat.

For a moment, Serena felt her mind, body, and entire being leave the present. For a moment, she was far in the past, reliving an embrace from long ago. It was an embrace that was mostly accidental, but involved a handkerchief and a surprising savior just the same.

Before Serena was ready to go, the moment ended. Her vision returned, and she saw Aria and Monsieur Pierre part. Aria gazed up at him, a bittersweet smile on her face.

"I have one more order to ask of you, if you are willing," said Aria.

"Of course, my queen."

Aria's eyes drifted toward the airplane, and toward the gigantic hangar doors which had yet to open. Near the center of the hangar, Lillie struggled to push a set of rolling stairs toward the plane. Aria wet her lips, then held Pierre's gaze for a moment.

"When I'm… _gone,"_ she began, "I need you to do something for me."

"Anything you wish."

"I need you to be my voice in my absence," said Aria. "I need you to tell the world about what happened."

"A daunting task, my queen, but I shall do my best."

"And I need you to tell everyone that… that I am not going to be their queen anymore."

Pierre appeared horrified.

"Mademoiselle! Certainly you do not mean to-"

"I _do_ mean to, Pierre," said Aria. "I do."

"I… I cannot in good faith do such a thing!"

"It is my final request to you, Pierre. Please tell Kalos that I am their queen no longer. That is my last order. Effective immediately, I hereby abdicate my title of Kalos Queen."

Speechless, Serena gazed at Aria in astonishment equal to Monsieur Pierre's. Across the hangar, she saw Lillie stop pushing the staircase for a moment and look at them all.

"Mademoiselle Aria, I- I cannot possibly-!"

"That was an order, Pierre," said Aria. "Please, I implore you, carry it out on my behalf."

"What am I to say?" said Pierre.

"Tell the truth," said Aria. "Tell the world what I cannot."

"With all due respect, mademoiselle, I believe the world will be much more receptive to this message were it to be delivered by you."

"I can't deliver it," said Aria. "I won't be here. It's the same reason why I cannot remain Kalos Queen any longer. A queen cannot reign from afar."

Tight-lipped and pensive, Monsieur Pierre lowered his eyes in thought for a moment.

"I don't know how long it will take for everything here in Kalos to calm down, but this is one storm I can't weather," said Aria. "I have endured enough on my own. I am certain you understand."

"Yes, mademoiselle, I do," said Pierre. Damp-eyed himself, he looked back up at Aria. "Kalos will miss you."

Aria sighed. She turned her head and looked at Lillie, who continued to struggle with the mobile stairs. She turned to Monsieur Pierre again.

"Now, I have a request for you," said Aria. "Not an order! I don't give those anymore. I am no longer a queen."

Pierre dabbed his own eyes with the handkerchief and hastily shoved it back into his coat pocket.

"Yes, of course, mademoiselle," he said. "What is your request?"

"If you would be so kind, could you please help Lillie with those stairs?"

Aria pointed to Lillie over her shoulder. Pierre nodded.

"Certainly, my queen," he said. Briskly, he began to walk away, but he stopped when Aria spoke.

"I'm not royalty anymore," said Aria. "You don't have to call me your queen anymore."

Monsieur Pierre looked aside for a moment, then met Aria's eyes with a bittersweet smile of his own.

"Mademoiselle, you will _always_ be my queen."

* * *

A few minutes later, Serena stood in the cockpit of the jet, behind the pilot's seat. Lillie sat in the pilot's seat, speaking with Gladion over the videophone.

"You're running out of time," said Gladion. "If I'm reading these maps correctly, Lumiose City is going to be in a total whiteout in less than an hour."

"I'm sure that's correct," said Lillie, nodding grimly. "The snow was getting heavier on our way here."

Looking rather annoyed, Gladion tapped his fingers on his forehead.

At least, Serena supposed he was annoyed. Annoyance seemed to be Gladion's default expression.

"If you all don't get off the ground soon, you won't be going anywhere for at least a day," said Gladion.

"Master Gladion, we cannot afford such a delay," said Monsieur Pierre. He stood in the entrance to the cockpit, with Aria lingering behind him. "The pilot and crew are on their way, yes?"

"If they aren't, they're going to pay for it when they get back here," said Gladion. "I made it very clear to them that this is a serious situation. If this lady you're running from is really as bad as you say, she may give our mother a run for her money."

Serena saw Aria look away from the screen, her reflection visible in the cockpit window. Lillie nodded.

"She is certainly every bit as devious, if not more so," said Lillie. "We… may have put her out of commission earlier. We're not certain, though."

"Out of commission?" said Gladion.

Lillie bit her lip. Her eyes downcast, she nodded. Gladion shook his head.

"Where are the others?" he said. "I thought you said Ash was going to be here."

"They were in another car," said Lillie.

"I know that. You told me earlier!" said Gladion. "Why aren't they with you all yet? You've been at the hangar for a while now, haven't you? Where are they?"

"We don't know!" said Lillie. "How could we?"

Gladion shook his head again.

"Master Gladion, we were in the unfortunate circumstance of needing to resort to an inexperienced driver in these inclement weather conditions," said Pierre. "Madame Diantha undoubtedly will be able to get them through the security checkpoint through which we passed, but them making it to that checkpoint is another matter entirely. I understand your frustration with the matter, but it is not clear that there is anything we can do. If you happen to know, is there anything we can do in the meantime to expedite the departure process when the remaining passengers and the crew arrives?"

Gladion frowned in concentration. He examined several other screens around him at his desk.

"The plane needs to be refueled, but I'm not sure if you can do that without your pilot," he said. "Right now, you've only got enough fuel to last a couple of hours in the air. Not nearly enough to make it all the way here."

"Pardon my questioning, but would that be enough to leave Kalos?" said Pierre. "With time of the essence, our highest priority is to get Madame Aria out of Kalos as quickly as possible. Would it be possible to land this plane somewhere outside of Kalos to stop for refueling?"

"It could be," said Gladion. "It's a pain, though. I would have to contact the airport where you all land and explain the situation. I'd rather not. They might not take kindly to it."

"Gladion, please," said Lillie. "We need to leave as soon as we can."

Gladion grimaced, focusing on another screen.

"It's not ideal," said Gladion. "If you have to land somewhere else, that's another opportunity for someone to stop you. It's safest if you are able to make the flight without stopping."

"It would be safer than waiting here if Madame Aria could take off as soon as everyone arrives," said Pierre. "I do not believe that we can risk waiting around any longer, for a multitude of reasons."

Gladion clutched his forehead.

"Fine," he said. "I'll see what I can do. No promises though, alright?"

"Yes, thank you," said Lillie.

"I'm going to be on mute for a bit while I make some calls," said Gladion. "Don't hang up, alright?"

"Okay," said Lillie.

Gladion reached toward the screen. There was a click, and the sound from his end cut out. He turned toward another screen.

Lillie stood up and faced everyone else.

"There must be more we can do to prepare," she said.

"I confess that this is not my area of expertise, mademoiselle," said Pierre.

Serena noticed Aria's reflection in the cockpit window again. Her arms folded, Aria turned away, gazing at the floor. Serena stared for a second, but then her eyes lost focus and slipped beyond the reflection. They landed on the gigantic doors on the far side of the hangar.

"Don't we need to open those doors?" Serena said, pointing ahead. "The plane can't get out of here without opening them, right?"

"Oh, good idea!" said Lillie. "Those doors take a few minutes to open, from what I've heard. Better to get them open now."

"Indeed, an excellent idea," said Pierre. "I shall tend to it."

"Do you need help?" said Lillie. "I would offer to go, but I think I need to stay here in case Gladion gets back to us with any news."

"I'll go," said Aria.

"Mademoiselle, for your safety, I believe it is best if you remain on board this plane, should anything go afoul."

Aria frowned at Pierre. She looked aside, then drew in a sharp breath through her nose.

"You're right," she said. Without another word, she stepped out of the cockpit and slumped into the very first passenger seat available.

Serena was wary of speaking up.

"I'll help, then," she said.

"Very well," said Pierre. "Let us hurry."

Serena followed Monsieur Pierre out of the cockpit. They passed by Aria, who sat gazing out a window, expressionless. Delphox waited by the door, keeping watch. They turned past her, then rapidly descended the stairs to the hangar floor.

Monsieur Pierre stopped and looked around.

"Do you see the switch anywhere?" said Serena. She narrowed her eyes and focused on the panel with the light switch. It did not look like anything else was there.

"I believe there are two switches," said Pierre.

"Two?" said Serena.

"One for each side of the door," said Pierre. He pointed with both hands in opposite directions along the far wall. "Look."

Serena looked. On the far wall, she saw two electrical panels that flanked the door. There was a lever on each one.

"I suspect they must both be opened at the same time, as a security measure," said Pierre. "Do you have a preference?"

It took Serena a moment to realize what Monsieur Pierre was asking her. She shook her head.

"Oh, no," she said.

"I shall take the left one, then."

The two parted ways, and Serena ran across the hangar to the right side. Her footfalls echoed through the hangar, with Monsieur Pierre's doing the same from afar. When she stopped and the echoes ceased, she looked over to the left side of the hangar. Monsieur Pierre had his hand on the lever. Serena took hold of the lever on her own panel.

"By my count!" called Pierre. "In three, two, one!"

Serena threw the switch. Monsieur Pierre did the same. For a second, nothing happened. Then, something rumbled, and a pair of motors rattled to life. The doors creaked, then parted. Slowly, they began to roll out of the way.

Serena looked and saw Monsieur Pierre walking toward the opening in the doors. He stopped in the middle, then tucked his hands behind his back. Curious, she approached him. As she did, she first saw a handful of snowflakes whirl about in the opening between the doors. Then, a cold gust hit her. She steadied herself as she stopped beside him.

Outside, the snow was steady. It showed no signs of stopping. What little unobscured sky had been visible earlier was now completely covered by low, gray, featureless clouds. It was darker. Sunset was mere minutes away. On the horizon, a semicircle of orange, pink, and violet indicated where the sun would have otherwise been visible.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" said Pierre.

Serena had a feeling that Pierre was not talking about only the sunset.

"Yes, it is," she said.

"I must admit, this has been a rather unexpected turn of events," said Pierre. "When I first encountered you, I never would have imagined that an amateur showcase performer would eventually become the one to save the Kalos Queen from her horrible fate."

Serena gave Monsieur Pierre a sideways glance.

"I didn't save her," she said. "I didn't even help that much. Honestly, I think I made everything worse."

"Mademoiselle, I mean no offense, but you are delusional," said Pierre.

"For once, I _wish_ I was," said Serena.

"Preposterous," said Pierre. "You were the first person to ever see past Mademoiselle Aria's title. Not even I could do that, for far too long. You were the first to truly care about her. You have made all the difference in the world. For that, I thank you."

"Don't thank me," said Serena. "I've hurt Aria a lot more than I've helped her."

"Alas, you are so terribly mistaken," said Pierre.

"She and I can't even talk anymore!" said Serena.

"Not now, perhaps," said Pierre. "That will change one day. You two will both see the truth."

"What truth?"

"That you are a hero," said Pierre. "It does not matter how complex and tangled your personal affairs become. Nothing can change that truth."

"I'm not a hero," said Serena.

_"Au contraire, _mademoiselle," said Pierre. "You saved the Kalos Queen."

For a while, everything went quiet. The hum of the door motors and the whisper of the wind were the only sounds. Serena stood there with Monsieur Pierre, watching the snow fall. A thought came to her.

"Whether or not you think I'm a hero, you've got one thing wrong," said Serena.

"And what might that be?"

"I didn't do any of this for the _Kalos Queen._ I did it for _Aria."_

Monsieur Pierre nodded once. The corner of his mouth turned upward as he seemed to weigh Serena's words.

He appeared on the verge of saying something when the relative peace of the moment came to an abrupt end. In rapid succession came the wailing of sirens, the screeching of tires, and a loud crash. The hangar shook. Serena gasped.

"What was that?!" said Serena. She looked all around, searching every direction in rapid succession. She saw nothing.

Monsieur Pierre held one arm out in front of Serena, barring her from moving forward. He took a step backward, forcing her along with him. He jammed his other hand into his coat pocket.

"I believe that was our time running out," he said.

"You mean-?"

"Run! Go, now! To the plane!"

"But-!"

"I will hold them off! You must flee! Now!"

"But no one else is here!"

"Your plans have been changed!" said Pierre. He pushed Serena backward with one hand, separated from her. With his other hand, he withdrew a Poké Ball from his coat pocket.

Serena stared at him for a moment longer. He shot her one last glance before he stepped forward, a terrible, imperious look in his eye. He released Klefki from the ball.

Serena turned and ran. Sprinting for the stairs, she saw Aria leaning out the cabin door as she approached.

"What was that?" said Aria. "What's going on?"

Serena mounted the stairs. She climbed as fast as she could.

"It's the police!" she said.

"Where did Pierre go?"

"To hold them off!" said Serena. She waited until she reached the top of the stairs to continue. "We've got to get out of here!"

Agape, horrified, Aria looked from Serena to the cockpit and then back again.

"We're not ready!" said Aria. "The others aren't here! We don't even have a pilot!"

"We have to do _something!_ There's no time!" said Serena. She pushed past Aria and ran to the cockpit. Lillie was looking back at her when she entered.

"Did I hear you say the police were here?" said Lillie.

"Yes!" said Serena. "Monsieur Pierre went to stop them. We have to get out of here, now!"

Lillie froze. Serena knew that Lillie was about to express exactly the same opposition that Aria had. But then, before Lillie spoke, she hurried to spin around in her seat and jammed her finger down on a button on the control panel.

"Gladion! Gladion, come in! Are you there? We need to get out of here right now!"

For a few seconds, there was no reply. No one appeared on the screen.

_"Gladion! _This is an emergency!"

Gladion ran back into view. He reached for a button. The sound from his side clicked back on.

"What's going on?" he said.

"The police are here to stop us!" said Lillie. "We don't have a pilot! What do we do? We have to get out of here!"

Gladion held a hand against his forehead and swore under his breath. In the few seconds of tense silence that followed, Serena's heart jumped. She felt something.

Aria entered the cockpit. As she did, Serena looked back and saw Delphox behind her. Her eyes narrow, Delphox stared out the door.

She pulled her wand from her tail. It flared to life.

Serena already knew. She did not need to see what happened next.

Aria gasped. Serena turned her head, and she saw Palermo stroll into view, aided by a cane. Snow swirling around her, she stood before the open hangar doors, opposite Monsieur Pierre. There was a large bandage over one of her eyes, and one of her arms was in a sling. Beside her, Florges levitated, her silhouette rippling with indigo light.

Monsieur Pierre raised a hand. He called a move. Klefki began to vibrate. Serena expected to hear the familiar jingling sound. It never came.

Instead, Klefki abruptly snapped into a rigid, upright position, wreathed in indigo light. Then, as if pulled by a magnet from below, its arms bent straight down. Released from their hold, the keys Klefki carried fell, then shot toward the ground. Some scattered, ricocheting off the ground and the walls. Others became embedded in the concrete.

Then, there was a horrible, high-pitched, desperate squeal. Serena cringed. Lillie covered her eyes. Aria started to say something unintelligible and covered her mouth. As if caught in the grip of an unseen pair of hands, Klefki crumpled, crushed and compacted like an aluminum can.

Then, left as nothing but a tangled ball of wire, Klefki was thrown violently aside, leaving a deep dent in the metal wall before falling to the ground.

For a moment, everything was very still.

Then, Monsieur Pierre glowed with indigo light, and he left the ground.

Pulled by the collar, he flew toward Palermo and then stopped. He looked down at her, a horrified, paralyzed expression on his face. Palermo glared at him. Her one visible eye cold, she said only a few words.

Then, Monsieur Pierre was tossed aside like a ragdoll, rolling to a stop on the pavement of the tarmac outside. He did not move.

"Lillie?" said Gladion. "Lillie, can you hear me? What's going on?"

Lillie uncovered her eyes. She was visibly shaken. She looked at the screen.

"Lillie, what happened?" said Gladion.

"It's Palermo," said Aria. She grimaced. "She may have just… _killed _Monsieur Pierre and his Klefki."

"She _what?!"_ said Gladion.

No one responded. Lillie placed her hands over her mouth. Her eyes wide open, she stared out the window.

Palermo turned to face the plane.

"Lillie, listen to me!" said Gladion.

Lillie did not move. Palermo hobbled another step forward.

_"Lillie!"_

Gladion's shout shook Lillie from her trance. She looked at the screen again.

"Lillie, you have to follow my instructions _exactly,_ and you have to do it _right now._ Do you understand?"

Lillie stared at him. Very slightly, she nodded.

Gladion's eyes shifted.

"You! Red hair!"

Aria looked at Gladion.

"Aria, right?" he said.

"Yes."

"Get in the copilot seat. Buckle up. Both of you."

"Me?" Aria said, pointing at herself.

"Yes, you!" said Gladion. "There's no time! You two are taking this plane out on autopilot!"

_"What?!"_ said Aria.

"What, do you want to _die?"_ said Gladion.

"No!" said Aria. "That's why I said that! Are you insane? We can't fly this!"

"No, _you_ can't," said Gladion. "But _it_ can. Get in your seat."

Aria didn't move.

_"Now!"_

Gladion shifted his glance to Serena.

"You, close the door!"

"But the others aren't here yet!" said Serena.

"It's too late!"

"But-"

"Do _you _want to die, too? Go! Do it!"

Serena hesitated to respond. Seeing no other option, she ran for the door. Delphox stood in it, still as a statue.

"Delphox, we have to close this door!" said Serena.

Delphox did not move. If anything, Serena felt as though Delphox had somehow rooted herself more firmly in place.

"We have to go! We have to close the door! The plane is going to take off!"

Delphox still did not move. Instead, her fur rose and seemed to stand on end. Serena felt the energy radiating from her.

Seeing no other choice, Serena reached for her bag. She pulled out Delphox's Poké Ball.

"Delphox, re-"

Before she could say it, before she could even press the button, the ball ripped itself out of her hand and shoved itself back into her bag.

"Wha-?! Delphox, what are you doing?"

Delphox glowed. Then, Serena saw.

In the distance, Palermo limped her way toward the plane. Beside her, hovering in the air, Florges glared at Delphox. Serena was certain Delphox was returning the gesture.

"We don't have time for you two to have a rivalry!" said Serena. "Did you see what she did to Klefki and Monsieur Pierre? She's not here to battle! She's here to do _that_ to all of us!"

Delphox did not move. Serena nearly toppled over. Out of nowhere, the plane roared to life. It began to move.

Serena grabbed onto a seat and righted herself. Stunned, she watched as the plane rolled slowly forward, the stairs outside slipping away.

She came up to the door and stuck her head outside. Palermo had stopped. Florges was levitating at the same height at which Delphox stood, eye to eye across the hangar. Slowly, the stairs slipped further and further out of reach.

Then, there was a metallic crash. The wing hit the stairs. A moment later, carried by the plane's incredible momentum, they toppled over onto the hangar floor.

All the while, Palermo stood still, simply watching. Serena stood there in the open door as they passed her. For a moment, their eyes met. Serena had never seen anyone look so utterly empty.

They passed the hangar door. Snowflakes streaked past.

"Delphox, we have to shut the door, _now!"_

At last, Delphox moved, but she did not move in the direction Serena wanted.

Delphox hopped out onto the wing of the plane.

"What are you doing?! Get back here!"

Serena looked out the door again. She saw Delphox aglow on the wing. Likewise, Florges flew through the air behind them, keeping pace.

The plane began to accelerate. Serena held onto the door frame for support. She could barely stand. The jet engines roared. Her heart seized. Were they really taking off directly from here? Was it even possible?

The airfoil on the wings moved into position. It left no doubt in her mind.

_"Delphox!"_

Delphox did not respond. Her fur whipping in the wind, the flame on her wand reduced to nothing more than a flicker of sparks and smoke, she stood fast on the wing, facing Florges. All the while, Florges kept pace with them, level with the tail of the plane.

The hangar, and Palermo inside it, receded in the distance. Outside the hangar, Serena saw an assortment of people and vehicles, emergency lights flashing everywhere. One car had crashed into the hangar. The others surrounded it.

Her heart skipped one beat, then another.

She recognized the crashed car.

Unable to look outside any longer, the wind threatening to tear her out of the plane, Serena pulled her head inside. Instinctively, she wanted to get down on the floor. Halfway down, she froze when a voice shouted over the intercom. It was Gladion.

_"Shut the door!"_

The wind forced Serena down onto her hands and knees. Too much for her eyes, she clenched them shut as she crawled along the wall toward the opening.

_"There's too much drag! We can't take off with it open!"_

Her teeth gritted, the wind whistled through them and tickled the back of her throat as she tried to stand, pulling herself upright along the open door frame. She tried to open her eyes. She was only able to open them a sliver before the lash of the wind became too great. With nothing but a slit of vision, she stuck her hand outside and reached for the handle on the door.

Immediately, it felt like the wind would drag her away. Clenching her fingers tight on the wall, she stretched herself. Slowly, she reached toward the handle, her fingertips tracing the cold metal of the door's exterior.

Then, there was a bump.

In an instant, it was all over. Perhaps they ran over something. Perhaps it was nothing more than a pothole on the tarmac, an acceptable defect in a place never intended to be used as a runway. All Serena knew was that for an instant, the door handle was within her reach, so tantalizingly close. The very next instant, she was no longer in the plane.

It happened too fast for her to understand, or even to scream. Her stable equilibrium disturbed, the wind took her. The next instant, there was no more solid ground, no more solid _anything_ as the door sailed past, out of her reach. The next instant after that, she was face-to-face with the swirling jet engine, pulled toward it by the incredible suction. Serena expected that the next instant, if there was one, would be the one in which she was violently ripped apart, the abrupt, ignominious conclusion of her life.

But that moment did not come. Instead, she stopped in front of the jet engine, long enough to hear it roar. Petrified, utterly unable to move on her own, something _else_ moved her.

Pulled up in midair above the screaming engine, Serena saw Delphox aglow, lifting her through the air, directing her movement with her wand in the same way a conductor might lead an orchestra. For several seconds, Serena did not feel her heart beat. She wondered if she was actually dead, and perhaps this was where she landed afterward, some bizarre offshoot of the afterlife where everything picked up where she left off.

But that was not where she was. She realized as Delphox hopped off the plane wing and slowed them, gently lowering themselves to the ground, that she was very much alive.

They landed. Delphox released the psychic hold on her. Stationary, Serena collapsed to the ground and gasped for air, her heart racing to make up for lost time. She rolled over onto her back and raised her head. Tilting badly toward one side, the plane rose from the ground.

Her heart pounded even harder. The door was still open.

The front wheel left the ground, then the rear wheels. The plane was not moving in a straight line. It veered sharply toward the side of the open door, held back by the drag of the wind. Yet, somehow, it rose steadily into the air.

Serena sat upright. The plane veered more and more toward that side. The wings tilted more and more, becoming ever closer to being perpendicular to the ground. The plane turned sharply, circling back in the direction of the hangar. As it went overhead, Serena's heart seized yet again.

The plane was sideways. There was no way for Lillie and Aria to shut the door. They wouldn't be able to get to it. Gravity was against them.

But then, once more, Serena's heart seemed to stop cold.

So did the plane.

Defying not only physics, but everything Serena thought she understood about the world, the plane stood still in the air overhead. The engines continued to roar, but they did nothing but blow hot air. They did not move the plane so much as an inch.

Instead, the plane began to glow, wrapped in indigo light.

Serena staggered to her feet and spun around. She saw Florges shining brighter than ever before, hovering high in the air, exerting incredible force upon the plane.

And behind her, Serena saw Palermo slowly limping her way out onto the tarmac.

She looked up at the plane again. It was not stationary anymore. Florges was pulling it toward the ground.

Serena looked at Delphox. Her eyes were already aglow. Her wand was raised.

"Delphox! You've got to break them free!"

Delphox's eyes brightened. Poised, she raised her wand high above her head, then gracefully lowered it in a sweeping motion, complete with a swish of air. At the bottom of the arc, she abruptly went rigid, then rose into the air. In perfect concentration, she pulled.

The plane moved, inching forward through the air. But then, as soon as that tiny bit of progress was made, Florges pulled even harder. Delphox growled. She pulled harder in turn.

Wind kicked up all around Serena, sending snowflakes swirling in all directions. The spark of an idea flared inside her mind. She recalled some wise words she had heard not even an hour earlier.

"You can't beat Florges with raw power!" said Serena. "It's no use! You need to use her strength against her!"

Delphox continued to growl. Her pull on the plane only intensified.

"Listen to me, please!" said Serena. "You can't win if you try to beat Florges like this!"

The plane shuddered. Metal creaked.

"You're going to rip the plane apart!" said Serena. "You're going to get Lillie and Aria killed! Stop it!"

Delphox continued to pull, but more gently. The plane inched closer and closer toward Florges, closer and closer toward the ground.

"Focus!" said Serena. "Close the door!"

Delphox growled again. The wind surrounding them intensified even further, radiating out from Delphox like a full gale. Shielding her eyes from the wind with one arm, Serena squinted and watched.

High above, the door which she had failed to close began to shut all on its own.

"Yes, that's it!" said Serena. "Keep it up! You're almost there!"

Several tense seconds passed. Then, Delphox stopped growling. The wind calmed. The door did not move. It was closed.

"Yes! Now, let Florges have exactly what she wants! Fling it at her!"

As quickly as the wind had died down, it flared to life again, even more intensely than before. Delphox's entire body shimmered with indigo light. Serena's head seared with pain to look at it. She shielded her eyes from both the wind and the light. Delphox shone like the sun, and for just a moment, Serena could have sworn she felt the ground shake.

The plane began to move, first slowly, then rapidly. In a matter of seconds, it accelerated to a frightening speed, leveling out as it made a steep dive toward the tarmac. Sensing what had happened, the light surrounding Florges dimmed. Merely floating in midair, she watched as the plane passed her overhead.

Serena prepared to run. The plane was surely going to crash, right before her eyes. It was moving too fast. There was no way to avoid it. She would be caught in the blast, having cheated death one minute only to be claimed by it the next. She staggered as she began to run, then tripped. She threw herself to the ground.

The plane roared. Hot air washed over her as it passed directly overhead, the shadow of its massive underbelly obscuring everything else. She closed her eyes and covered her head. It was mere feet from the ground. It was all over.

But the end never came.

Instead, when Serena opened her eyes a few seconds later, she saw the plane steadily rising into the sky like nothing had ever happened.

She sat up. She saw Delphox still in a trance, concentrating on the plane as it slipped further and further away. Beyond Delphox, she saw Florges' eyes begin to glow again.

She knew what was about to happen. Florges was going to pull the plane back again.

"Delphox, Fire Blast!"

Before Florges could react, Delphox's head snapped in her direction. Delphox snarled, and along with it came a massive blast of flame. Once again, Serena shielded her eyes. She saw Florges do the same just before the flames devoured her.

A moment later, the flames faded. Slightly charred, Florges continued to float in the air. Slowly, steadily, she lowered herself to the ground. Delphox, still glowing, did the same.

Delphox landed, and Serena ran over to her. The instant Serena placed a hand on her, the light surrounding her vanished. She doubled over, gasping for breath, exhausted.

Some distance away, Florges landed. Motionless otherwise, she leered into the distant sky. The plane was almost out of sight, a mere dot on the horizon.

"Delphox, are you okay?" said Serena. "Are you hurt?"

Delphox did not respond aside from more heavy, labored breaths.

"You did it!" said Serena. "They escaped! That was incredible!"

Delphox made a sound that was almost like a laugh. Serena wasn't sure how she knew, but she had a feeling the Delphox was every bit as amazed that it had actually worked.

Serena placed a hand on Delphox's back. She ran a hand through her fur. She was about to say something when her train of thought was completely derailed.

_"Well, well."_

Serena flinched in fright and looked up. Palermo stood beside Florges, a short distance away.

"How very gallant of you," said Palermo. "I'm certain you'll receive a hero's welcome when you join the rest of your friends in jail."

Serena looked past Palermo, over her shoulder. She squinted. In the distance, she could just barely make out the shapes of several figures. She saw Diantha being led away in handcuffs while Pikachu ran around frantically, desperately trying to explain. Meanwhile, right beside Pikachu, she was certain she saw Ash struggling as two police officers pinned him to the ground.

"Yes, the police are apprehending them as we speak," said Palermo. "Between your assault of me, your incredible destruction of property, trespassing, and reckless endangerment, I suspect that not one of you will spend another day of your lives outside of bars."

Serena's mouth opened, but nothing came out. A chill crept down her spine. Palermo's words were cold, almost lifeless, completely devoid of her usual sardonic, dramatic flair.

"Typically, I would take this opportunity to give you the choice to turn yourself over without a fight," said Palermo. "I truly do despise having blood on my hands. Unfortunately for you, though, I've already crossed that particular threshold today. Given the circumstances, I fail to see the harm in spilling a little more."

Taken aback, Serena inched away.

"What?" said Palermo. "Is this not what you expected to happen? Were you naïve enough to believe you would escape without facing the consequences? Did you believe you would simply break Aria free from my grasp and that I would let go? Have you learned anything at all? I do not let go so easily."

Serena did not respond. She stared at Palermo, breathless.

"Yes, you secured Aria's freedom," said Palermo. "Congratulations. The price is your own freedom. Were you prepared to pay it?"

Serena bit down on her lip and tightened her fists.

"I think not," said Palermo. "Of course, the grand irony in all of this is that you've achieved the same result that you would have if you had been willing to cooperate with me in the first place."

"You mean-"

"Had you agreed to become my protégé, I would have released Aria from my control. After all, she has less than a year remaining of her reign before she is no longer eligible to be the Kalos Queen. At the conclusion of the next master class showcase, she will no longer be useful to me. You, on the other hand, have a few more years of eligibility. You could have prevented this entire fiasco had you been more willing to listen to reason."

"I _know _you're a liar! I was never going to sign my life away to you!"

"And you never should have meddled in my affairs. But alas, you are a very foolish girl. That's all you are. You are nothing but a silly little girl."

"I would have been a fool to listen to you!"

"And you did. You believed me without hesitation when I gave you a false email address, and when I anonymously wired you money. You were all too willing to believe I had the best intentions in mind, despite Aria's warning. Such a pity she wasted her cleverness on _you."_

"If you think I'm so dumb, why do you even want me?"

"Because you are _exceptionally _impressionable. Rarely in my life have I had the opportunity to encounter anyone so easy to manipulate. Your revolting correspondence with Aria made it perfectly clear that your personal life was a powder keg waiting to explode. All I had to do was prevent a few letters from reaching you and plant a few words in the ears of the appropriate authorities, and then sit back and watch the fireworks. I knew Aria would come running back to me eventually. It was only a matter of time."

Though the empty look in her eye did not change, Palermo's mouth contorted into a smile.

"Such a pity that all of your combined efforts have gone to waste."

"It wasn't a waste! Aria escaped! She saved me from you!"

"I think our present circumstances are the only evidence necessary to disprove that statement. You are very much in danger, my dear. Let me be perfectly clear about that."

Serena froze. A cold spike of panic shot through her heart.

"Aria is not here to save you now," said Palermo. "Quite frankly, it's astonishing that she ever tried. I have never met anyone so utterly resistant to reality and common sense as you. A lesser person would have surely given up after your repeated refusals to listen to her or understand anything. But lucky for you, she found you _cute, _so she kept trying. And in turn, you repaid her trust in you by providing me not only with all the information I needed to uncover her plot against me, but also with enough dirt on you to ensure that you would never be able to pose a serious threat to me. You brought this on yourself."

Serena grimaced. She stared at the pavement for a moment.

"Well, you're right about one thing," she said.

"I'm right about far more than just one thing," said Palermo. "But do tell, what have you decided to see my way after all?"

Serena glanced up at Palermo.

"I really did do this to myself," said Serena. "I can't argue with that. I've known that was true for a long time."

"How uncharacteristically perceptive of you," said Palermo. "Did you figure that out on your own?"

Serena stood.

"Yes, actually."

"Remarkable," said Palermo. "You managed to actually learn something substantive about yourself. What a marvelous achievement. For such an ordinary girl, anyway."

Beside Serena, Delphox continued to labor to breathe while hunched over on all fours.

"Don't care to argue that point, either, do you?" said Palermo. "I suppose it is obvious even to someone as profoundly resistant to new ideas as you. There is nothing special about you. You have been propped up on a pedestal by your far more interesting friends. Case in point."

Palermo snapped her fingers, using the hand on the arm in the sling. Florges' eyes flashed indigo. Serena's blood ran cold.

Delphox's heavy breathing stopped. Instead, she went completely silent and still, arrested by indigo light. Pulled by unseen strings, like a puppet with an invisible master, she rose unnaturally to her feet and then stood straight up, unable to resist.

"What a remarkable specimen. All the more remarkable that you raised her, somehow. If I didn't know any better, I would suspect her to have been raised by one of your friends. It certainly could not have been _you_ who awakened her latent psychic powers. If anything, she probably awakened them in spite of your efforts."

Serena reached for her bag.

"Don't you _dare_ touch her!"

"What kind of uncultured cretin do you think I am?" said Palermo. "Power respects power. Your Delphox is one of only a few Pokémon I've ever encountered who is capable of matching Florges' psychic abilities. Such a pity she's so new to it, though. Fantastic power, but no endurance. It comes with time."

Palermo meandered a few steps forward. She appraised Delphox.

"The few who are aware of what Florges can do often wonder how in the world she could have become so strong despite my apparent lack of interest in battling. A dim opinion, but I understand their confusion. Indeed, I am not interested in battling. A battle implies equality of some sort, the idea that both combatants have a chance of winning. I have no interest in _battles. _My interest is _power._ As fate would have it, I had the good fortune of meeting a Flabébé as a child who possessed that same single-minded desire. We have spent a lifetime together in a quiet, devoted, mutual search of power. One technical machine and several decades of experience later, you see precisely what that kind of power can do."

"Put her down! Now!"

"I _told _you, I may be a scoundrel, but I am not without some sense of honor," said Palermo. "Yes, I could very easily have Florges snap Delphox's neck, and yours. I am not going to, though. I have enough respect for your mutual, inexplicable, misguided determination not to do something so cowardly. I respect little else about either of you, but that much, I have come to appreciate."

"Let her go!"

"Oh, fine, you impatient child! Florges, release her."

Florges released her psychic hold on Delphox. Delphox collapsed to the ground.

"There," said Palermo. "Are you satisfied? This is why you never could have succeeded on the stage. You have no flair for the dramatic."

"You don't know me at all," said Serena.

"I know you well enough," said Palermo. "Therein lies the problem. You see, I make a point to avoid battles with those who can beat me. Those with power to rival my own, I make allies of. But you're not willing to settle for such a result. I know you well enough to know that."

"I would never become your ally!"

"Exactly," said Palermo. "Such is my dilemma. I have to do something about you. If I simply let you go, you will never give up trying to stop me."

Serena glared at Palermo. Palermo gave her an expectant glance.

"Am I wrong?" said Palermo.

"No!" said Serena. "Of course I wouldn't give up on this! I can't let you get away with what you've done!"

"Everyone has their price, my dear."

"I don't want your money!"

"I am well aware of that."

"I don't want power, either!"

"Again, I am aware."

"I'm not going to make a deal with you! I don't want anything you have!"

"You will never be safe," said Palermo.

"Huh?"

"If you refuse to give this up, you leave me with no choice but to also refuse," said Palermo. "Like you, my dear, I understand what it means to never give up. I will hunt you forever. I will undermine your every action. You, your friends, your family… you will never be safe."

Her brow creased, Serena felt a terrible sinking feeling in her stomach. There was only one way this could end. It was becoming more certain by the moment. She pulled a Poké Ball from her bag. Eyes facing the ground, she shook her head.

"I will never forgive you," she said. "I will never forgive you for what you've done. Ever. No matter what."

Serena glanced at Palermo.

"You're making a very foolish choice," said Palermo.

"I don't have any other choice."

Serena tossed the ball. Ribombee came out of it. She flitted around, hovering over Delphox, gravely concerned. Without being directed, she prepared a Pollen Puff and fired it at Delphox. A few moments later, Delphox stirred.

Palermo eyed Ribombee levelly.

"So, you have a healer, I see," said Palermo.

Serena ignored Palermo's comment.

"Ribombee, give Delphox another Pollen Puff."

Ribombee happily complied. She formed another one between her hands. She gently fired it at Delphox.

And then she violently crashed to the ground. She landed with a crunch, then did not move.

Both Serena and Delphox shot cutting glares at Palermo. Florges' eyes were aglow.

"We cannot have that," said Palermo.

Delphox roared. Unprompted, she shot a vicious blast of flame at Florges. Florges held up one palm and deflected it, as though with a shield.

Serena knelt over Ribombee. She felt for a pulse, for breath, for any sign of life. If Ribombee's heart still beat, she could not feel it over the thundering of her own, nor could she feel Ribombee's breath in the howling wind.

Disgusted, horrified, and panicked, she looked up at Palermo.

"She wasn't even on guard!"

"There is always a greater power, my dear," said Palermo. "So long as I draw breath, I shall do everything in my power to ensure that power is _me."_

Shaking, Serena rose to her feet.

"Not if we have anything to say about it."

"My foolish child, I have been building my empire for _decades,_ since before your existence was even a thought. I am not some common despot, intoxicated by my own power. I win my battles before they are ever fought. I have ascended beyond justice, beyond truth. There is nothing anyone can do to destroy my position within our society, not even me. I have assured that I can do _anything _without consequence. The truth doesn't matter. To the people of Kalos, the truth is whatever I will it to be. Aria may hold the title, but _I _am the true Kalos Queen."

Serena glared at Palermo, her brow creased and her jaw clenched.

"You will _never _be my queen."

"Have at me, then."

"Delphox, Fire Blast!"

Serena felt heat radiate from Delphox even before she saw the flames. Delphox stepped in front of Serena, fire leaking through her exposed teeth. Her eyes vicious, Delphox charged the blast. With a fierce shout, she unleashed it.

Palermo did not issue a command. Florges merely watched, then moved on her own. Her eyes glowed, and she raised her hands. As casually as breathing, she stood completely still as the Fire Blast streamed toward her. Then, at the very last moment, she swept her hands to one side. Veering from its intended path, the blast was swept away.

The flames vanished into thin air, unfortunate snowflakes turning to wisps of steam. Delphox readied her wand.

"Mystical Fire!"

Delphox swept her wand in a circle, drawing a circle of flame. With her wand pointed directly at Florges, she fired.

Again, Florges did not move. She merely stood there until the last second, the circle contracting as it approached its target. Then, she simply raised one hand, and the circle of flame halted in midair.

Delphox grit her teeth and growled. Intensely focused, she shook as she tried to force the attack through. It did not budge.

Opposite her, Florges appeared amused by the object she had captured. She admired it for a moment, then raised her other hand. The ring of flame rose into the air. It began to expand.

"Don't try to force it!" said Serena. "You're wasting your energy! Florges is trying to use it against you!"

Delphox shook for one more second, then stopped. She lowered her wand. Nothing changed. Florges was in complete control of the attack.

"Brute force alone is not going to be sufficient," said Palermo. "I thought Diantha's lecture to your idiot friend during their battle made that clear. Who do you think taught her that in the first place? I suppose I should not be surprised that you failed to learn anything, though. It would be typical of you, after all."

"I've learned more than enough about you already!" said Serena.

"Is that so?" said Palermo. "Why, then, do you insist upon pursuing something so futile?"

"I never give up!" said Serena. "Least of all when it comes to stopping you!"

"How noble," said Palermo. "Florges, return the favor to Delphox, would you?"

The ring of flame now wreathed in indigo light, Florges faced her palm toward Delphox and fired. Aided by Florges' psychic push, the attack rocketed across the tarmac. Delphox had barely any time to react.

Yet somehow, she did. Once again wreathed in indigo light, Delphox left the ground. Floating a few inches above the pavement, everything around her seemed to freeze. Halted mere inches from impact, only a tiny hole remained in the center of the Mystical Fire, like the eye of a hurricane. The flames quivered in midair as Delphox tried to push them back. Slowly, they began to move.

"I'll grant you this much," said Palermo. "Your determination makes for excellent entertainment. You two may be a pair of walking anticlimaxes, but you know how to keep things interesting."

"This isn't a game!" said Serena.

Palermo's stony expression soured.

"I do not play games, child."

The light in Florges' eyes shone brighter. Like her opponent, she also began to levitate. Once again, the Mystical Fire changed directions. The light surrounding the ring of flame intensified. It moved toward Delphox.

Serena's head throbbed again as Delphox pulsed with brighter light. Channeling her power, waves of indigo light rippled down her wand, all directed at the ring of flame. In the vibrant light, images seemed to distort, the very shape of the air warped by the raw energy. Again, Serena was convinced she felt the ground tremble beneath her feet.

The ring of flame moved again, this time toward Florges. Delphox roared as she pushed. Serena felt an indescribable force wash over her in waves, something monstrously powerful yet almost not there at all.

Serena held her breath. The ring moved further and further, faster and faster. For an instant, everything seemed to stop, a moment suspended in time. Awestruck, Serena knew in that moment that Delphox was at the absolute peak of her power. Never before had she seen such an awesome display of raw power from her. She was giving everything she had.

And it was working.

Time seemed to resume out of nowhere. Serena became aware of it from the unnatural gust whipping around her, both hot and cold at the same time. She squinted, unable to bear the intense light. Once again, her head throbbed, pain shooting up into her forehead from behind her eyes. Her heart pounded. It would all be over soon.

And it was.

For a moment, everything became eerily and impossibly quiet. The ring of flame hovered mere inches from Florges. Delphox gave it one final push.

Then, the silence shattered like glass as Florges let out an unearthly, earsplitting screech. She shone like the sun, light itself seeming to warp around her. She quivered, a tremendous force radiating from her in every direction. The Mystical Fire halted. Florges raised both hands. She pushed it back.

Serena did not watch. Instead, she threw herself to the ground, covered her head, and closed her eyes. There was a brilliant flash, a piercing sound like the lash of a whip, and a fierce wave of heat. It was followed by cold air, darkness, and silence.

The wind whispered. Serena opened her eyes. She saw the pavement beneath her face. She uncovered her head and sat upright.

Florges slowly descended to the ground. Delphox was down on one knee, shaking. She clutched her wand with both hands like a walking staff, supporting her weight with it.

"Delphox!"

Delphox moved as if attempting to stand. She did not succeed. She rose only a few inches, then sank to her knees

"Are you okay?!"

Serena wasn't sure why she asked the question. She knew the answer before she asked. Delphox's lack of a response was an answer in and of itself.

"A valiant effort," said Palermo. "Truly, I commend you. What a marvelous power your Delphox possesses. She is most unlike Aria's Delphox. Hers was far easier to suppress."

"What are you talking about?"

"Psychic ability is mental, obviously," said Palermo. "When I took Aria under my wing, I was well aware of the psychic abilities her unassuming little Fennekin may have one day grown to possess as a Delphox. So, I set about years of mental sabotage to prevent those abilities from manifesting. It's all in the head, you see. I made it a point to take up permanent residence there, in both of their heads."

Serena stared at Palermo, unable to speak.

"As you have seen, Aria's Delphox is a gifted pyromancer, but has no control of her innate psychic abilities," said Palermo. "That is my doing. With Florges' assistance, I made certain that she would never be able to harness them. They are forever occluded from her vision, and thus she poses no threat to me. Your Delphox, on the other hand, is not nearly as susceptible to the same tactics. Florges actually has to put effort into this. Quite a rare gift your Delphox has. Such a shame to see it go to waste."

"It's not a gift!" said Serena. "You have no idea how hard Delphox had to work to be able to do this!"

"A pity, really," said Palermo. "Given enough time to hone those abilities, perhaps she would actually be able to win this battle. Tragically, that opportunity will soon be lost forever."

"Forever?"

"Moonblast."

Serena did not even have time to gasp. She saw Florges raise both hands to the sky, and she immediately reached into her bag.

"Sylveon, Protect!"

She threw the ball. It landed in front of Delphox and burst open. Sylveon appeared. Wasting no time, she braced herself and conjured a shield of energy. A mere moment later, a massive ball of shimmering, silvery light collided with her.

Serena shielded her eyes from the flash. When she opened them, the familiar afterglow was scattered all over the surrounding pavement like an explosion of paint. Sylveon stood firm, shaken from the blow but still on her feet. Behind her, Delphox remained on her knees, unable to rise.

"Sylveon, Moonblast!"

Sylveon raised two of her feelers and charged the blast between them. With a cry, she fired at Florges. Both Florges and Palermo remained expressionless.

"Energy Ball."

Lazily, Florges raised one finger. A tiny sphere of green energy formed on it, then expanded. She fired. Like a fragile green bubble, it seemed to float on the wind toward Sylveon's Moonblast.

The two attacks collided. With a snap, the Energy Ball popped. Sylveon's Moonblast ruptured like a water balloon. The energy scattered, then vanished. Serena already had her hand on another Poké Ball. She threw it.

"Pancham, Stone Edge!"

Pancham burst free and materialized in midair. As he descended to the ground, he was already preparing his attack, fists aglow. He landed, then plunged them through the pavement. The ground rumbled. A moment later, several jagged shafts of rock erupted from the tarmac beneath Florges.

Florges calmly rose into the air, unscathed. Pancham was already on the attack again. He charged at Florges.

"Grass Knot."

The pavement under Pancham's feet cracked. A snarl of weeds slithered up through the cracks. They ensnared one of his feet. He tripped and slammed to the ground. Relatively unfazed, he immediately sprung back up and began attempting to free himself. The vines refused to let go.

While Florges focused on Pancham, Serena called another attack.

"Sylveon, Moonblast! Again!"

Once more, Sylveon charged the blast between her feelers and fired.

Florges did not react. For a fleeting moment, Serena thought she had succeeded at landing a hit. But then, at the last second, Florges turned her head toward the oncoming blast. Her eyes shone.

With a casual motion of her hand, she diverted the Moonblast. It turned sharply, missing its target and ejecting in a very different direction.

It shot toward Pancham.

"Pancham, dodge!"

Pancham could not dodge. The roots would not let go. Instead, he barely had any time to duck or even brace himself before Sylveon's redirected blast struck him at full force.

Light flashed. An afterglow lingered. Pancham lay on the ground. He did not move.

Sylveon made a movement in Pancham's direction, but then stopped herself. Delphox still knelt behind her, unable to stand. Sylveon whimpered, a horrified look on her face.

Serena noticed Florges preparing another attack without a command.

"Sylveon, Protect!"

Sylveon snapped to attention just in time. Florges fired another Moonblast. Although Sylveon prepared the shield in time, the blast struck her on the side instead of head-on. The force of it bowled her over. Quickly, she sprung back to her feet. She rushed to jump in front of Delphox again.

Serena fought back against the panic steadily taking hold in her brain. There had to be something she could do, some way to deceive Palermo.

"Double Team!" Serena called.

Sylveon prepared to move, but before she could begin creating afterimages, she froze completely.

"Enough of this charade," said Palermo.

Indigo light flared around Sylveon. Florges raised a hand. Quickly, much more forcefully than Serena had ever seen before, Florges pulled Sylveon high into the air.

"Sylveon! Protect! Fight it!"

"Foolish."

With a flick of the wrist, Florges sent Sylveon crashing down from the sky. Defenseless, Sylveon impacted the ground with a dense, solid _thu__mp__. _When Florges released the psychic hold on her, Sylveon was limp, completely motionless.

"Sylveon!"

Sylveon did not respond.

Delphox grit her teeth. She glared at Florges. Once more, she struggled to stand. Pushing against the ground with her wand, she attempted to rise to her feet.

Her knees left the ground. She stopped. For a moment, they wobbled. She fell again.

"Delphox!"

The panic took hold at last. Serena's heart ached with every rapid beat, adrenaline pulsing through her veins. Heat rose all over her body, her neck and her face suddenly warm, yet her stomach cold as stone. Fear gripped her.

She could not win the battle. She had lost.

She had lost everything.

Florges raised her hands to the sky one last time. Shimmering, silvery energy condensed between them. Thin, long shadows danced across the tarmac.

"And now, the _coup de grâce,"_ said Palermo.

Serena's eyes went bloodshot.

"Please don't do this! Stop!"

"It is too late, my dear. Time to face the music."

"Don't! Please!"

"Fire."

Florges brought the fully-formed blast down from over her head and held it in front of her body. Delphox turned her head ever so slightly, enough that Serena saw Delphox's eyes turn to her one last time. The look in Delphox's eyes pierced her heart, a look that both defied words but somehow also said one. It said one word, very clearly, deep inside Serena's mind.

_Sorry._

Delphox faced Florges again. She shut her eyes, then bowed her head.

_"Delphox!"_

Florges fired.

Serena went mentally numb. Utterly unable to process the events of the next several seconds, they didn't seem real. Nothing did. The Moonblast screamed across the pavement. Defeated, Delphox made no attempt to dodge, nor to defend herself. She knelt there, her head hung low, and let the blast claim her.

There was a flash. A cracking sound. A rush of wind. An afterglow. Smoke. And then silence. Terrible, terrible silence.

Delphox had refused to move. She still knelt there like a statue, the wind scattering the smoke rising from her singed fur.

Snow fell. The wind howled. Serena felt very, very cold.

Delphox slumped forward. She collapsed on the ground.

_"No!"_

Serena ran over to Delphox's side. She fell to her knees. She took hold of Delphox by the shoulder and rolled her onto her side. She tried to examine her, to search for signs of life. It was impossible for her to determine anything through the haze of adrenaline clouding her brain and the tears clouding her vision.

Paralyzed, Serena did nothing but kneel there. It was over. It was all over. All hope was gone. She had failed once again. This time, no one was coming to save her.

She jumped in fright when she heard Palermo's voice from much closer than she expected.

"It would seem we have but one matter left to resolve, wouldn't it?"

Serena looked up and saw Palermo standing over her. Florges hovered behind Palermo's shoulder. There was not a shred of emotion in the eyes of either of them.

Serena had never felt so cold.

Desperate, she stared up at both of them with her mouth hanging open, but she was unable to make a sound. A terrible, crushing certainty took hold in the pit of her stomach. It felt like it was going to crush her brain. Pain flared in her temples. She let out a strained cry.

"Pitiful," said Palermo. "Despite everything, you still cannot accept the truth."

Serena sank all the way to the ground. She gripped onto Delphox's arm, burying her face in her fur. Tears ran down her cheeks. The pain in her head grew stronger. She struggled to breathe.

_"Please-"_

"Your time is up. This is the end of your story. A fitting end for such an _ordinary_ girl."

_"Please don't-"_

"You couldn't win. You never could."

Serena shook. The pain in her head was unlike anything she had ever felt. She was certain her skull would crack.

_"Don't kill me!"_

"You don't have it."

The pain reached its peak. Serena screamed. Her mind fractured. There was a flash of light, followed by total silence. Her senses vanished. Everything, all of reality, slipped away.


	17. Awake

Chapter Seventeen – Awake

The next thing Serena was aware of was not a sensation of the presence of something, but rather the total absence of anything whatsoever. It was not that she didn't feel anything. She _felt nothing._

She opened her eyes. There was nothing there. Nothing at all.

Involuntarily, she attempted to gasp. Her attempt failed. She could not draw breath, nor could she make a sound. Panicked, she flailed her limbs. It was useless. There was no ground for her to push against, no water for her to tread, no air to resist her futile struggle. She looked all around. She could see nothing but herself.

All alone, she floated in complete and utter nothingness, suspended in a blank void. The darkness in all directions was impenetrable. The silence was absolute.

Panic struck again. She had experienced something like this once before, a memory she wished she could forget. When Nebby teleported everyone to safety, for a few seconds at most, she was certain she had been in space. She remembered the cold and the dark, and the absence of air, but that was not the memory that persisted the strongest.

What she remembered the most was the silence. Never before had she truly understood the concept. It was not silence in an earthly sense. Everyday silence was not _true_ silence. No matter what, there was always _something _to hear. Not in space, though, and not wherever she was now.

The longer Serena thought, the more obvious something became, something that only left her with more questions. She could see herself, but how? Even in the distance, there was nothing whatsoever, not even the faintest pinprick of light. She could not possibly be in space. She did not feel cold. Despite her inability to do so, she felt no need to draw breath. She held two fingers to the side of her neck and pressed. She felt no pulse.

Had her heart been beating, she was sure it would have stopped. The memories of the previous few minutes played back in her mind in rapid succession. Another question came to her, the most terrible of all.

Was she dead?

She drifted. Or rather, she supposed she did. There was no way to tell if she was in motion or not. It was not clear that the concept of location mattered where she was. She wasn't anywhere. She _was nowhere._ It only made her more and more certain that this was the end. Where else could she be?

She closed her eyes. There was nothing to see, anyway. She thought. Oddly, the panic faded. She wasn't sure why. For some reason, the idea of being dead didn't seem so intimidating anymore. It didn't make much sense to her. Somehow, being alone in perfect nothingness felt more like a relief than anything else. The images and words in her mind played over and over again, each time becoming a little more distant, a little further out of reach. Her Pokémon falling in battle, Palermo's final insult, all of the pain and fear she had endured… none of it mattered anymore. It was all gone. Her fight was over. Her story had ended. Peace, at last.

Time passed, or perhaps it didn't pass at all. It didn't seem to Serena that time had much meaning in this place, either. An ethereal calm came over her. If this was death, it was not so bad. It was like a pleasant night of restful sleep that just so happened to last forever. After everything that had happened, she had never felt more in need of a rest. She had earned it, she figured.

She wasn't sure what to call the emotion she felt. _Smug_ sounded wrong, but she couldn't think of a better word. She supposed she had forever to come up with a better one, eventually. But in a way, she felt smug to finally know the answer to the question that humanity had struggled and failed to answer throughout its entire existence. _This_ was what happened when you died. How wrong everyone was about one's life flashing before their eyes. It never happened. But then again, she figured, it happened so quickly for her that there simply wasn't any time. Maybe that really did happen for other people. There was no way to know, and that was okay. It didn't matter anymore. Nothing did.

It was nice.

More time passed, or at least something resembling time. Serena's thoughts wandered. If she had been deprived of the experience of having her life flash before her eyes, there was no reason she could not simply recreate the experience on her own. She had forever, after all. There was so much to think about, though. It was tough to decide where to begin. There were plenty of things she did not want to remember, but the more she thought about it, the more she wondered why. If nothing mattered anymore, what harm was there in admitting to herself that she wished she had made some different decisions? There was no point in hiding anything anymore. The only person she was hiding from was herself.

She thought of everyone she had left behind. She wished she could have done more. She supposed it could not be helped. At least Aria and Lillie had managed to escape. It wasn't _all_ for nothing. She wondered what would become of Ash, and everyone else. She would never know, she supposed. Maybe her death had brought about Palermo's downfall. She liked that idea. At last, Palermo was caught doing something that nobody could ever excuse. It was such a shame that it could not have happened another way, though.

Then again, Serena wondered if there was _anything_ for which that wasn't the case. There were so many things she would have done differently. It all seemed so stupid now. Why hadn't she just kissed Ash years ago? She had a million opportunities. Why had she waited until the last possible second and set off a chain reaction in the process? It was so unnecessary. It all could have been avoided. Or, maybe it was unavoidable. She wasn't sure. So many things all had to happen in exactly the right way for things to end up how they did. It was impossible to know what would have happened if even a single one of them had been changed.

Whether it would have been possible to change anything or not, there was one thing Serena knew. There was no one, not one single person, with whom she could not have had a better relationship. She wished she had done better with everyone. Absolutely everyone. She could have been a better friend, a better lover, a batter daughter, a better trainer.

Clemont, Bonnie, and Korrina… she wished she could have pulled herself out of her shell and opened up more with them.

Lillie… she wished she had never hurt her.

Aria… she wished she knew what they could have been.

Ash… she wished she had been able to fully put her faith in him.

Her mother… she wished she had let it all go years ago.

Her Pokémon… she wished she had not failed them.

_Serena._

Serena's eyes shot open. Impossible as it was, a voice called to her. She could not determine from where. It sounded like _everywhere._ There was no one, absolutely nothing to be seen, though. She was still completely alone.

"Hello?"

Serena covered her mouth in shock when she realized she had spoken. She had no idea how she did it. Her words seemed to vanish into the void, swallowed by nothingness. There was nowhere for them to go, and no one to hear them.

Yet, unsure at first if she could actually do it, she spoke again.

"Is… anyone there?"

_Serena._

The voice came again. Serena could not understand how, but it felt so familiar.

"Hello?"

_You did not fail._

Serena's jaw hung open. She could not understand.

"What? Who is this? Where are you?"

_I am with you._

"I can't see you!"

_You are not looking._

"What?! Yes I am!"

_Your mind. Not your eyes._

Serena looked over her shoulders and all around once more. It was useless. She was all alone. The voice came from everywhere, but there was no one anywhere.

_Serena. Look._

Serena saw nothing. Seeing no other option, she acquiesced. She closed her eyes.

At first, nothing changed. The only difference was that she couldn't see her own limbs floating in the void. But then, the voice spoke again.

_Do you see me now?_

For the first time since arriving, Serena felt something other than absence. She felt _presence_. A feeling of warmth washed over her. As if receiving a jolt, she gasped reflexively.

"Delphox!"

Serena's eyes shot open. There, before her in the void, Delphox floated with her.

"I- I don't understand!"

_I know._

"What's going on? What happened? Are you… talking?"

_No, but yes._

"Huh?"

_I cannot speak in a way you can understand, but I am talking to you._

"How? What is this? That voice- it's… yours?"

_Yes._

"I-"

As if it were a reflex, Serena gripped her head with both hands. A tiny flicker of pain flared between her eyes for the briefest of moments. A staggering realization came to her.

"All this time... that was _you?"_

_Yes._

"All those times I thought my head hurt because of stress... you were _talking _to me?"

_I tried._

"You were trying to talk to me telepathically?"

_Yes._

"I-"

Serena ran her hands down her face, stopping to massage her forehead. Her face partially obscured, she shook her head. The voice in her head. The headaches every time she tried to interact with Delphox. It was all so obvious now.

"I can't believe I didn't realize."

_I can._

Serena scoffed at herself.

"I'm sure you can. I'm really sorry. Not just for not realizing what you were doing. For a lot of things."

_Do not be sorry._

"What? Really? You too? How can I not be sorry? You're dead because of me!"

_You are wrong._

"None of this would have happened if I didn't try to fight Palermo! You didn't have to do it! I got you killed!"

_You did not._

"Yes I did!"

_I am not dead._

Serena's face went slack.

"What? Then… how are you here?"

_I am with you._

"I'm dead!"

_You are not._

Serena stared at Delphox, unable to understand.

"Then… where are we?"

_Together._

"Yes, I know we're together, but _where?"_

Delphox slowly raised one hand. Serena followed the motion with her eyes, as if expecting Delphox to suddenly illuminate the surroundings and show her the way.

But instead, Delphox placed her hand on Serena's forehead.

_In here._

Mouth hanging open, Serena stared up at Delphox's hand.

"You mean…"

_Yes._

Delphox withdrew her hand. Serena looked her in the eye again. It took her quite some time to figure out anything to say.

"How?"

It sounded so foolish. Serena was embarrassed to even ask. Delphox held her gaze.

_I have been trying for a long time. It finally worked._

"You mean, to talk to me? Telepathically?"

_Yes._

"All those headaches were from you, weren't they?"

_Yes. I did not mean to cause pain, though. Your mind is just particularly well-guarded. I could not find the entrance. I was able to find my way inside a few times, but I was soon pushed out again. This time, I think I may have forced my way inside, hence the difficulty._

"But… why? Why did you do this? Why did you keep trying?"

_So that we could talk._

Serena looked away.

"We haven't talked much since you evolved, have we?"

_No._

"I'm sorry. It's my fault, really. I don't know why, but I didn't feel like there was anything I could say to you anymore. You went through so much, and you changed so much, and I wasn't ready for it. I didn't know what to do. I felt like I had completely failed you as a trainer."

_You did not fail._

"I couldn't help you at all when you needed me the most! You put yourself under so much pressure that it almost broke you, and I didn't do anything to help! You gave me everything you had, and I gave you nothing! You grew on your own in ways that you never could have grown with me! You surpassed me! Why did you even stay with me? I completely failed you! I've done nothing right with you in what feels like forever!"

_You did not fail._

"How can you say that?! I even gave you the opportunity to leave! I felt like it was the only thing I could do to help you! Ash would have been able to help you grow so much stronger than I ever could! You would have been able to be with Greninja, too!"

_I could not leave._

"I gave you the chance!"

_I would have failed you._

Serena made a very confused face.

"What? You've never failed me! You've always done your best for me, no matter what! No matter whether I deserved it or not!"

_Had I left, I would have failed you._

"Delphox, this is ridiculous! You don't owe me anything!"

_I owe everything to you._

"I've done nothing but get in your way!"

_That is false._

"Okay, fine. I've done nothing but get in your way _recently."_

_That is less false, but it is still not true._

"Why would you ever think that you could fail me? Why are you even loyal to me in the first place? I don't deserve this from you! All I do now is weigh you down!"

_You are the only one who ever wanted me._

Serena went silent. She hesitated for several seconds.

"...what?"

_I lived for some time before I met you. I do not know how long. Long enough that I can remember. I remember many things._

"Like what?"

_I do not remember where I was born, but I do remember that I had a mother. I had brothers and sisters, too. I do not remember how long I knew them, or if any of them had names, or what any of them were like. What I do remember is being very warm, until I was taken away._

"Taken away?"

_Yes, by humans._

"Is... that how you ended up at Professor Sycamore's lab?"

_Eventually. I went to many places before I went there. Each one was as cold as the last. I met other __Pokémon__ along the way. I learned that humans were the masters of the world, and that we were to obey them. I learned that some Pokémon were lucky, and that they were chosen by __human__s who saw them as equals and provided them with tender care and fulfilling lives. I learned that others were not so lucky, and that they came into the hands of cruel __human__s who viewed Pokémon as tools, destined to spend their lives in bondage._

Serena felt incapable of looking Delphox in the eye.

"Were you scared?"

_Yes._

"I'm… sorry."

Serena wanted to ask if she had given Delphox the kind of life she desired, but she knew she was not ready to handle the consequences of the answer. She did not speak. Delphox continued.

_We were all scared. Some hid it better than others. I think I hid it well. I watched many __Pokémon__ pass in and out of the laboratory. Some were strong. Some were not. They all left in the arms of young humans. They all hoped they found a kindhearted one. Not me, though._

"Not you?"

_No. I did not leave with anyone. Nobody chose me, for a long time. I think it was because I did not want to go with a human who would treat me as their equal._

"You didn't?"

_No. All I wanted was a human who was as warm as my mother. I never found anyone like that. Not until you showed up._

Serena's mouth opened, but she failed to form words.

_You wanted me the moment you saw me. You did not hesitate at all. You already knew. When I went with you, I discovered that you were the warmest person I have ever known. You cared for me like no one else ever had. You took me to places I never could have imagined. You made my life greater than I ever could have dreamed._

Serena's heart ached. She winced and shut her eyes, only for a moment. She was surprised to feel a tear roll down her cheek. She hadn't realized such a thing was still possible.

_You taught me everything. You taught me how to have courage, how to stand up against those who hurt others, how to never give up. You taught me how to live._

"But… I don't know how to do any of those things!"

_You are mistaken, and I do not understand how. I do not understand how you cannot see the truth._

"What are you talking about? What truth?"

_You do not see yourself in the same way anyone else does. The reason no one else believes that you are a failure or a horrible person is that you are not any of those things._

Serena dug her fingers into her hair. She shook her head, then reached out as if begging.

"Then… what am I? I mess everything up! I make the same mistakes over and over again no matter how hard I try not to repeat them! I never say anything or do anything until the last possible moment! I'm not brave! I'm not even smart! I'm nobody! I'm a failure!"

_You are not._

"I hurt people! I use them for my own good! I lie! I'm weak! I'm nothing but a burden on other people!"

_You are not._

"Then what am I?!"

_You are Serena._

"What kind of answer is that? That means nothing!"

_It is all there is. It is the truth._

"What _truth?_ Everyone keeps telling me I don't understand the truth! I don't even know what the truth is anymore! What am I missing? What don't I understand?"

_You ignore the lessons you impart on others._

"What could I possibly teach anyone?"

_You taught me everything._

"You taught yourself! I failed you!"

_You did not._

"Stop saying that!"

_No._

"It's the truth!"

_It is not._

"What do you see in me? What does anyone see in me?!"

_A hero._

"I'm not a hero!"

_You are._

"I'm not!"

_You have to be._

"I can't be!"

_You must be, because you are my hero._

Serena froze. She was beyond words, beyond comprehension. She could do nothing but stare.

_You believe you need a hero because you do not understand that you are already one. You do not need a hero. You do not need anyone. You are enough all on your own. Palermo is wrong, and so are you. You do have what you seek._

Serena looked down. She shook her head. She placed both hands on top of it. She didn't understand. The tears flooding her eyes did not make it any easier.

"What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to be a hero? I don't know how!"

_Everything you need is inside you._

"Where? I've been looking this whole time! Why can't I find it?"

_Because you have not yet looked here._

Serena looked up at Delphox, confused.

"Here?"

_Here._

"But… there's nothing here!"

_Yes._

"What do you mean?"

_That is the point._

"What point? This place is empty! If this is _inside my mind,_ what does that say about me?"

_You are missing the point._

"What point?!"

_There is nothing here because there is nothing for you to find. You already have everything you need. You simply cannot see it._

"What am I supposed to see?"

_You will see when you open your eyes._

"My eyes are already open!"

_They are not._

"What? I'm looking right at you!"

_Yet you cannot see a thing._

"...huh?"

_This is why I am here, Serena. You are my hero. You taught me how to live. Now, it is my turn._

Delphox drew closer. She raised one hand.

_I will help you see._

Serena stared at Delphox, lost.

"I just don't understand."

_You will in a moment._

Once more, Delphox placed her hand on Serena's forehead.

_You do have it. You showed me the way. Now, I will show you._

There was an instant in which it occurred to Serena that there was much more she wanted to say, but the moment passed before she could say or do anything. She felt Delphox's hand vibrate. The feeling resonated inside her head.

Then, she had a completely ineffable experience. She had the distinct sensation of her mind leaving her body. The void surrounding her filled with sights as indescribable as they were numerous. Nonsensical trains of thought streaked overhead like shooting stars while her mind raced through impossible geometries, her mere observation of them causing them to metamorphose before her eyes. She saw in all directions, even in ones which had no name. She saw herself, and everyone and everything else, from both inside and outside at the same time, at all times.

She felt herself rising as if pulled from behind by a string, slowly being reeled in by a fishing rod. As she rose higher and higher, she saw more and more. More than she ever should have been able to see. More than her brain could comprehend. Everything blended together, jumbled into a mess that made both more and less sense at the same time. She realized that she was not moving _up. _She was moving _out. _Her senses overwhelmed beyond all imagination, her thoughts seized as she was ejected from one plane and transposed into another, pulled simultaneously in all possible opposing directions.

The pressure grew. At last, it overcame her. Her brain caved in, collapsing upon itself. Everything both in and around her, all that ever was or ever could have been, ripped apart and disintegrated.

Serena passed out of existence, and static filled the void.

* * *

Serena became aware. Of what, she was not sure. She was only aware of some kind of sensation. She could not describe it. It prompted her to open her eyes.

At first, she could not comprehend where she was. Everything was tinted blue. But then, she saw Palermo and Florges standing in front of her, and Delphox on the ground by her side.

Except not actually, because she was in the air.

Serena gasped for breath. Her eyes and her mouth both shot wide open, and air filled her empty lungs. She floated above the ground, her body and her limbs buoyant as if she were treading water. Her arms floated at chest height without her holding them up. She wasn't certain what was happening.

The one thing she knew, though, was that it was not Florges' doing. Both Florges and Palermo stepped back a few steps, visibly concerned and confused.

"What in the world is this?" said Palermo.

Serena couldn't respond. She could not have given Palermo a meaningful answer, anyway. She had no idea. She continued to float, her body awash in indigo light. Whatever was happening was completely out of her control. She felt helpless, yet somehow not at all afraid. Even as her mind shook as though an earthquake were taking place inside her skull, somehow, she knew.

She was safe.

Tears streamed from her eyes. She didn't know why. It didn't hurt. It didn't feel like anything she had ever experienced.

"Florges, put a stop to this at once!"

Florges did not comply. Instead, she backed away another step.

Serena's head snapped abruptly upward. For a moment, her vision went completely blank, solid white. When her sight returned, she looked down at the ground again. Her heart leaped. She saw Delphox stir to life.

And then, even though Serena's eyes were already open, they opened again.

Serena floated in the air, astonished, speechless. Serena also grabbed her wand, pushed against the pavement with her spare hand, and rose to her feet. With two sets of eyes, she looked at Palermo. Then, like seeing herself in a mirror, she gazed upon herself from the outside. She understood.

There was someone else inside her head.

_Now do you see?_

Delphox's voice called to her. Even though she saw Delphox's body standing before her, the voice came from within. All the while, she saw herself floating in the air, through Delphox's eyes.

Uncertain whether or not she was controlling it, Serena began to sink, slowly lowering toward the ground. Her feet touched the pavement, and then her arms lowered to her sides, as if the water in which she floated drained from an invisible tank.

The light surrounding her faded. Standing under her own power, she looked at both of her hands. Wordlessly, she stared, tears continuing to fall in silence. Though she did not look with her own eyes, when Palermo spoke, she looked.

"What nonsense is this?" said Palermo. "What? You played dead? What did it get you?"

Serena continued to stare at her hands while she stared at Palermo. She did not respond to Palermo's questioning with words. Instead, not acknowledging her, she continued to cry. She couldn't seem to stop. She didn't know why.

But she did know one thing. Palermo's demeanor had changed. There was fear in her eyes. Serena smelled blood.

"Do you have nothing to say for yourself? Do you intend to stand there and weep over your imminent demise? What have these last few precious seconds gotten you? You are nothing to me. I will reduce you to nothing more than dust in the wind."

Serena ignored her. It was incredible. She felt it not only in her hands, but everywhere, inside and out. She was almost afraid to move. It felt too dangerous. The power was phenomenal. She could barely restrain it. It defied belief.

"Say something you insolent brat!"

Serena looked up at Palermo, now with all of her eyes. She met Palermo's gaze. She saw such a strange reaction in Palermo's one visible eye. She wondered what she saw. She did not feel any words coming, but oddly, felt something to say. Uncontrollably, she felt it bubble to the surface.

Serena felt her face contort. Her fangs bared, she took a menacing step forward. She screamed, louder than she ever had in her life. Deafening, it pierced the snowy night sky. Both Palermo and Florges backed several steps away. And then, Serena realized it wasn't really her. It was not her voice. It was Delphox's roar. Yet, somehow, it was not Delphox alone. She was part of it, too.

Standing still, tears continuing to fall in silence, Serena advanced another step toward Palermo. As she advanced, she continued to stand there like a statue, overwhelmed by everything. She was losing track of where she ended and where Delphox began. It was becoming less and less clear by the moment.

She raised her wand. She aimed at Florges.

Palermo raised a hand.

"Moonblast, now!"

Florges erupted in indigo light and rose into the air. She raised both hands. She summoned a shimmering, silvery sphere of energy between them. Serena felt the power. It was terrifying, awesome, pitiful.

Unmoving, she watched, her wand trained on Florges. She waited.

Florges swung the blast down toward the ground. Serena waited. It streaked toward her. It grew ever closer. It made her fur stand on end.

Then, the blast contacted the tip of her wand. Her wand passed a few inches beneath the surface. The blast stopped. Impaled, the blast froze in place, transforming her wand into a makeshift mace. Serena watched herself as she sprang into the air, clearing the height with one simple jump and effortlessly levitating opposite Florges.

Below, Palermo staggered backward, agape as she looked up at Delphox above.

"What _is _this?"

Florges glared. She spread her arms, summoning a barrier. Serena saw the uncertainty in her eyes. She knew that Florges didn't know if it would hold. She also knew that it would not.

She flew forward, her makeshift mace held high above her head. From above, she pounced, roaring as she sent the borrowed Moonblast crashing down on Florges' barrier. The shield shattered as if it were nothing more than an unfortunate window in the path of a flying rock.

She closed in. Florges raised an arm to protect herself. Serena reared her head back and shrieked, ejecting a fireball from her mouth. It collided with Florges and exploded, sending her rocketing toward the ground. Serena followed in hot pursuit.

Before Florges could crash, she broke her fall with a cushion of energy. Flying away backward, she barely dodged as Serena landed in the spot where she had hovered mere moments before. Serena sent a jet of flame flying from her wand, then took off after Florges.

Florges ascended back into the sky, dodging several more jets of flame. Serena felt snow accumulating in her hair as she stood there on the ground, watching herself soar high into the air above. She had been so focused on following Florges that she had lost track of how long she had been standing still. She remained there, transfixed, totally stationary.

Meanwhile, above, she quickly drew level with Florges and bypassed her. Cut off, Florges stopped, made an abrupt turn, and attempted to fire a Moonblast. It was immediately blown away with an effortless Fire Blast. Using the splash of flames and light as cover, Florges attempted to make another escape, this time from below. She dived underneath Delphox, then fired another quick blast. It was tossed aside with a mere wave of the hand. It splashed onto the tarmac like nothing but a can of silvery paint.

"Moonblast! Hold nothing back!"

Florges rose her hands above her head again. Once more, a ball of energy condensed between them. Serena was fully prepared to swat it aside again, but something different happened this time. The ball did not stop growing when it reached its normal size. Florges pulled the ball down from over her head, and then it kept growing until it was as wide as her arms could stretch.

And then, it continued. It grew as tall as Florges, then twice as tall. The mere reflection of the light on the pavement was blinding. Still, it continued. The ball grew and grew until Florges held a blast large enough to have easily contained the hangar in the distance.

Resolute, Serena stood her ground, both on the pavement and in the air. She remembered the full-power Moonblast that Diantha had commanded her Gardevoir to fire at Greninja. It had been so precise, so finely controlled. Florges' blast was its antithesis in every way. It was devoid of precision. It was beyond control. Her typical aloof poise was gone. She quivered with fury.

"Now, _end this!"_

On Palermo's command, Florges fired. Lazily, almost as if the ball struggled to take off under its own weight, it rose into the air. Serena gazed down at it. It was too bright to look at for more than a moment. It shone in impossible colors, colors which she had never seen before and for which there were no words. There was no doubt at all that the attack would consume whoever was on the receiving end of it. It was dangerous, reckless, beyond all sanity.

Below, Palermo smirked.

Serena growled. She raised her wand. This was it.

This was the end, for real this time.

She closed her eyes. It accomplished nothing. The incredible light from the blast penetrated her eyelids as though they weren't there at all. The heat lashed at her, waves of energy radiating over her fur like tongues of fire. She felt it draw closer. Fighting every urge in her bodies and minds to run, she tried to concentrate. She had to. There was no other choice.

Serena did not breathe. She waited. The moment finally came.

Mere inches from the tip of her wand, the blast stopped. Everything went blue. Serena growled, her eyes alight with blue fire. Energy shot down her wand and spread over the giant Moonblast, enveloping it.

Then, it returned from whence it came.

From above, Serena saw nothing but intense light. From below, Serena saw both Florges and Palermo cower. Palermo dropped her cane and toppled over backward. She crawled, scurrying a few more feet away on her one good hand and her knees before ducking for cover.

Florges froze. Serena knew what Florges had realized. There was nowhere for her to run. The blast was too large. There was no escape.

Time stood still. Florges straightened her posture one last time. With breathtaking elegance, she stood tall, her figure cast in blinding shadow beneath the shimmering light. She lay her hands at her sides. Then, with grim certainty on her face, she looked up into the blast. She closed her eyes.

Serena shielded her eyes, both pairs of them.

There was a tremendous explosion of light, a flash that both illuminated everything and cast everything in shadow, a sound that was both deafening and silent at the same time. A blast of hot air followed by freezing cold radiated out from the impact in all directions, threatening to blow Serena both off her feet and out of the sky.

But Serena refused to move.

When she opened her eyes again, the entire area was bathed in a silvery glow, slowly fading. On the far side of the blast site, she saw Palermo struggling to sit upright, supporting herself with one hand. At the center of it, she saw nothing more than a black streak, less than ashes, something barely there at all.

As the light dimmed, like so many motes of dust, what little was left scattered in the wind.

Serena lowered herself to the ground. A short distance away. Palermo grabbed hold of her cane and shakily pulled herself upright. She shot Serena a vile look, then shoved a hand into her coat pocket.

For just a second, Serena's stomach clenched with fear. Florges was the only Pokémon she had ever seen Palermo use. What others did she have? Did some greater horror await? Was this only the beginning of the true fight?

But a Poké Ball was not what Palermo pulled out of her pocket. It was a walkie-talkie. She pressed a button and spoke into it.

"Come get me. Now."

Serena lowered her wand. She stared at Palermo in disbelief. Palermo smirked, but she looked past Serena. It was only then that Serena realized Palermo was looking at _her._ She clearly did not understand.

Likewise, Serena did not understand Palermo's expression. It was bizarre, almost incomprehensible given the circumstances. She appeared to be _amused._

"Well, that's that, now isn't it?" said Palermo. "It looks like I was right, after all. There is always a greater power."

Palermo took a step past Serena, closer toward her. She stopped, with a sardonic smile on her face and a proud, bejeweled hand atop her cane.

"I do hope that you meet yours one day," said Palermo. "If this is how you choose to spend your life, you will. It's only a matter of time."

A gust of wind punctuated the long silence that followed. Snowflakes whirled around, blanketing the tarmac. Palermo grimaced as they buffeted her face. Ignoring them, she held Serena's gaze. All the while, Serena just stared. In perfect tranquility, tears continued to slowly streak from her eyes.

Serena blinked when she heard the sound of an engine. Her eyes slid back into focus. Out of what seemed like nowhere, a limousine pulled up behind Palermo. A door opened.

"It's time for me to exit the stage, my dear," said Palermo. "I doubt this will be the last time we meet, though. I have every reason to believe our paths will cross again one day. Until then..."

Palermo turned toward the open door. Before she entered, she stopped. She looked back one last time.

"I hope you're prepared to live with the consequences of all you've done."

With a smile, she slipped into the backseat. Serena stood there as Palermo unwittingly passed her, watching. In that moment, she was acutely aware of how easy it would have been to snap Palermo's neck with only one twitch of her wand. She could not bring herself to raise it, though. She just watched.

"Farewell."

With one final wave, Palermo shut the door. The limousine drove away.

Serena watched until the taillights disappeared around a corner. Then, all was quiet. Standing there in the snow, in two places at once, Serena had the very strange experience of being alone with herself.

But she wasn't truly alone.

_You see now, don't you?_

Serena heard the voice from within. There was no need for her to speak her reply aloud. She felt compelled to, anyway.

"Yes."

Her voice broke the silence. Again, out of what seemed like nowhere, dozens of cars appeared. In the distance, the limousine came to a halt as a swarm of police cars surrounded it.

As a horde of officers surrounded the limousine, Serena noticed that another swarm of vehicles was descending upon her location. It wasn't a caravan of police cars, though. It was different. She squinted. Through the glare of the lights and the swirling snow, she couldn't determine what she saw.

And then, she felt the disconcerting sensation of her mind turning inside out and back again.

She shook her head. A carpet of snow fell from it. She blinked. She saw only through one pair of eyes again. Delphox slowly walked toward her, a glint in her eye.

A van skid to a halt in front of her, its tires sliding on the snow-covered tarmac. The door swung open. A familiar figure burst out of it and ran toward her.

"Serena? Is that you?"

Alexa ran up to her, pen and paper in hand.


End file.
